[00:00:01]
[I. Call to Order and Determination of Quorum]
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT TODAY OF BOARD MEMBERS ALSO BUT THE TWO MEMBERS ARE MISS LINDA GRIFFIN AND MR. JAMES MILLER AND MYSELF.SO I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND DETERMINE THAT THERE IS A QUORUM.
SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA, PUBLIC FORUM.
MS. HOGAN, DO WE HAVE ANY YELLOW CARDS? NO SPEAKERS.
SEEING NONE, THEN WE WILL MOVE TO OUR ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE SUPERINTENDENTS MESSAGE, DR.
[III. Superintendent's Message]
LOPEZ.SO THOSE THAT HAVEN'T VOTED, PLEASE GO OUT TO VOTE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE EXECUTE THIS FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT THAT MOST COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE.
SO EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKE SOME TIME TO MAKE YOUR RIGHT A POSSIBILITY.
TODAY IN RECOGNITION OF THAT, WE KEPT OUR KIDS HOME.
OUR KIDS HAD THE DAY OFF AND OUR STAFF HAD STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY, AND THAT ALLOWED WHATEVER SCHOOLS THAT WERE BEING USED FOR VOTER REGISTRATION OR NOT FOR ACTUAL VOTING TO KEEP THINGS SAFE AND FREE AWAY FROM ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS TAKING PRECAUTIONS IN OUR DISTRICT FOR THEIR GENERAL SAFETY.
TODAY MARKS THE WEEK AND ABOUT FOUR DAYS AWAY FROM OUR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE MAKING PLANS, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL.
WE EXPECT THEM TO BE LEARNING THESE LAST EIGHT DAYS.
SO IT'S THREE DAYS AFTER TODAY AND FIVE MORE DAYS AFTER THAT.
SO PLEASE BRING THEM TO SCHOOL.
OKAY, WE HAVE GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 4A, AGENDA ITEM FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 2022.
[IV.A. Information Items]
THIS WILL BE A, INFORMATION ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS TO RECEIVE A BOARD OF TRUSTEES CONTRACT RENEWAL REPORT FOR NOVEMBER OF 2022.MR. BOOKER. MR. BEACH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO DR.
LOPEZ AND OUR PATRONS WHO MAY BE VIEWING THIS PRESENTATION.
THE CONTRACT RENEWAL REPORT FOR NOVEMBER IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR REVIEW.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE NOVEMBER REPORT.
ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER THAT MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION.
MS. GRIFFIN, YOU OKAY? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
WE'RE GOING TO ITEM NUMBER 2, REVIEW THE SEPTEMBER 2022 MONTHLY FINANCIALS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR.
LOPEZ. I'M ALLISON DAVENPORT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS CONCERNING FINANCIALS? GREAT JOB, BY THE WAY.
THANK YOU. SEEING NONE, WE'RE MOVING ON.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ITEM NUMBER THREE IS GOING TO BE PULLED TODAY.
WE WILL HEAR A REPORT FROM THE TAX REPORT IN OUR BOARD MEETING AT THE END OF NOVEMBER.
THAT WOULD BE CORRECT, MR. RINGO? YES, SIR. WE CAN PROCEED HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE.
WE CAN BRING IT BACK IN SEPTEMBER, THERE WAS A SOFTWARE CONVERSION THAT WAS NOT COMPLETE AT THE TIME OF BOARD DOCS BEING DUE, BUT WE CAN BRING IT BACK AT THE BOARD MEETING AS AN INFORMATION ITEM. IF THAT'S BEEN WORKED OUT, THAT'LL BE FINE.
OKAY, GOOD. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 4, RECEIVED THE TRS ACTIVE CARE HEALTH PLAN UPDATE.
OKAY, THERE WE GO. THERE IT IS.
HI, CHAIRMAN BEACH AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR.
LOPEZ. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH KIERTSCHER, COORDINATOR OF EMPLOYEE WELLNESS AND NUTRITION.
ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE WERE LOOKING AT SENATE BILL 1444 AND OUR ABILITY TO FINANCIALLY DO SOMETHING MAYBE DIFFERENT WITH OUR INSURANCE PLAN IN TRS, AND SO WE WERE TASKED WITH AN RFP TO BRING ON A CONSULTANT WHO WE HAVE HERE TODAY WITH US, HUB INTERNATIONAL.
THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OUR FINANCIALS AS FAR AS OUR MEDICAL PLAN GOES, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT OUR EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM AND OUR EMPLOYEE CLINIC AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR EXPANSION TO BETTER SERVE OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS SAVE THE DISTRICT SOME MONEY.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO BRENT AND HEATH.
THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS AFTER THAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
[00:05:10]
OF TRS ACTIVE CARE.SO WE HAVE A TABLE OF CONTENTS WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH TODAY.
THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS A TRS CLAIMS ANALYSIS AND OUR OPT OUT PROJECTIONS.
WE WILL THEN LOOK AT SOME HEALTH PLAN QUOTES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE MARKET.
SO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW THE MARKET WOULD RESPOND IF WE WERE TO RELEASE AN RFP FOR SERVICES AND THEN OUR STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS, AND FINALLY, NEXT STEPS AND A TIMELINE.
SO THE FIRST SECTION HERE IS A LOSS RATIO ANALYSIS.
AS WELL AS LOOKING AT POTENTIAL OPT OUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISTRICT.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE LAST FOUR PLAN YEARS OF DATA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT CLAIMS. INFORMATION FROM EACH OF THOSE YEARS.
THE PREMIUMS ARE WHAT HAS BEEN PAID IN TO TRS OVER THAT TIME PERIOD IN ORDER TO FUND THOSE CLAIMS. THE LOSS RATIO IS SIMPLY TAKING THE TOTAL CLAIMS AND DIVIDING IT BY THE PREMIUM.
THE LAST YEAR, 2021-2022 DATA ANNUALIZED IS ABOUT 114.3% LOSS RATIO.
THAT WAS A 9.2% INCREASE IN THE LOSS RATIO COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO WHAT THIS IS TELLING US IS THAT IT IS LIKELY MOST EFFICIENT TO REMAIN IN THE TRS ACTIVE CARE SYSTEM IN THE SHORT TERM BECAUSE THE DISTRICT IS ACTUALLY BENEFITING FROM HAVING CLAIMS ABOVE THE PREMIUMS. IF WE WERE OUTSIDE OF TRS, I'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL COST HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDES.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG INCREASES OF WHY IT WENT FROM 105% TO 114%.
IF WE LOOKED AT THE COST TO OPT OUT, HUB ACTUARIES, WE PROJECT THE COST IN TWO CATEGORIES.
ONE IS A FULLY INSURED PROJECTION, WHICH IS MUCH LIKE THE FINANCIAL SCENARIO YOU'RE UNDER TODAY, WHERE YOU PAY A PREMIUM AND THAT PREMIUM IS PAID TO TRS ACTIVE CARE, AND DESPITE WHAT YOUR CLAIMS ARE, ALL YOU OWE IS THE PREMIUM.
SO WE DID A PROJECTION IN THIS MIDDLE COLUMN OF WHAT THE COST WOULD BE FULLY INSURED IF YOU WERE TO OPT OUT, AND SO WE PROJECTED OUR CLAIMS, MEDICAL AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG CLAIMS MOVING FORWARD, AND THEN WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE TARGET LOSS RATIO THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
SO THE ADMINISTRATION EXPENSES ARE ADDED ON TOP OF THE CLAIMS AND ULTIMATELY TO REMAIN FULLY INSURED, THE PROJECTED INCREASE WOULD BE ABOUT 31.5% INCREASE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT YOU'RE PAYING TODAY.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT A PARTIAL SELF-INSURED PROJECTION, WHICH WE COULD SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IF YOU WERE TO MOVE THAT WAY AS OPPOSED TO THE FULLY INSURED, AND UNDER THE PARTIAL SELF-FUNDED, YOU WOULD PAY YOUR CLAIMS UP TO CERTAIN LIMITS, BUT THEN WE WOULD CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ADMINISTER CLAIMS. WE HAVE A STOP LOSS INSURANCE COMPANY THAT WOULD LIMIT THE RISK OF THE AMOUNT OF CLAIMS YOU WOULD BE PAYING, AS WELL AS RECEIVING REBATE CREDITS BACK FROM THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WAY OF FUNDING HEALTH CARE, WHICH WE COULD SAVE SOME MONEY, BUT EVEN UNDER THAT SCENARIO, IT WOULD BE A 19.5% INCREASE UNDER A PARTIAL SELF INSURED OPTION.
SO IF WE LOOK AT WHAT THAT INCREASE MEANS TO THE EMPLOYER, TO THE DISTRICT, IF YOU WERE TO FUND THE ADDITIONAL COST OF OPTING OUT, IT WOULD BE ABOUT A 55.4% INCREASE TO THE EMPLOYER.
UNDER A PARTIAL SELF-INSURED SCENARIO THAT WOULD GO FROM $325 TO $437.
SO THAT'S ASSUMING THAT THE DISTRICT PICKED UP ALL THE ADDITIONAL COST FROM OPTING OUT.
SO OUR OPT OUT COST PROJECTIONS ARE ONE ELEMENT THAT WE LOOKED AT.
WE ALSO WENT TO A FEW OF THE CARRIERS TO SAY, OKAY, ARE OUR PROJECTIONS IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY QUOTE AT THIS TIME? AND WE DID THAT IN THE NEXT SECTION.
WE WENT AHEAD AND RELEASED DATA TO THE MARKETS THAT WOULD THAT COULD POTENTIALLY QUOTE WE LOOKED AT BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE, CIGNA, THE TASB HEALTH PLAN, AETNA AND UHC.
[00:10:02]
NOW THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN ILLUSTRATIVE, FULLY INSURED QUOTE TO US.THEY'RE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A PARTIAL SELF INSURED QUOTE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE PROVIDED IN THE UPCOMING AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2023 STARTED BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE UPDATED CLAIMS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THOSE PROJECTIONS, BUT IF WE LOOK HERE, THE BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT $10 MILLION OVER AND ABOVE WHAT YOU SPEND TODAY. THAT'S 29.9% THAT ALIGNED RIGHT WITH OUR PROJECTION.
THE CIGNA PROJECTION WAS 17.4%.
HOWEVER, THOSE PLANS DID NOT MATCH THE PLANS YOU HAVE TODAY.
SO WHAT THIS IS TELLING US IS THAT THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US, IF WE OPTED OUT AND WENT OUT TO MARKET, ARE REALLY NOT VERY COMPETITIVE COMPARED TO WHERE YOU'RE AT WITH TRS ACTIVE CARE TODAY.
NOW, NOT TO SAY THAT IN THE FUTURE TRS ACTIVE CARE COULD COME OUT NEXT YEAR AND HAVE A VERY LARGE INCREASE, THAT WOULD MEAN MAYBE IN '23 OR '24, LOOKING AT THE '24 PLAN YEAR, IT MIGHT BE MORE FEASIBLE TO DO THAT.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS LAST YEAR AN INCREASE WAS PLANNED TO TRS ACTIVE CARE, BUT THEN FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH ARPA CAME THROUGH AND THEY WERE ABLE TO BASICALLY DECREASE THE INCREASE BY $700 MILLION, AND SO THERE WAS NO INCREASE ACROSS TRS ACTIVE CARE, THE ENTIRE POPULATION, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT HEALTH CARE TREND DOESN'T GO AWAY.
SO 7% AT LEAST WAS LIKELY TAKEN AWAY FROM THAT FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO THAT REMAINS THERE, ON TOP OF TREND FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE ANOTHER 7%.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING, THERE COULD BE WE'VE HEARD THIS A LOT OF NEW NORMAL GOING INTO THE 24 PLAN YEAR.
WE DID MEMORIALIZE STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE LOSS RATIO, OF COURSE, WAS SIGNIFICANT AVERAGING 114% OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND THEN THE LOSS RATIO TARGETS ARE BETWEEN 85 AND 90% AS I WENT OVER BEFORE.
THE LARGE CLAIMANTS HAVE BEEN A BIG IMPACT TO THE PLAN THIS YEAR, AND WE ALSO EXPECT THE COVID 19 IMPACT DID IMPACT CLAIMS. WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME RECOMMENDING TO REMAIN IN TRS ACTIVE CARE.
IN REGARD TO TRS ACTIVE CARE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OVERALL GLOBAL, FOR EXAMPLE, REGION TEN, WE HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY REGION TEN DISTRICT OPTING OUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
WE ALSO BENCHMARKED 21 OF THE REGION TEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
NONE OF THEM HAVE OPTED OUT AND PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH LITTLE TIME TO LOOK AT IT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WE'VE EVALUATED HAS HAD OVER 100% LOSS RATIO. SO THAT'S BEEN A BIG PIECE OF REGION TEN JUST HAVING HIGHER COST OF OVERALL CLAIMS IN OTHER REGIONS.
THERE WAS REGIONAL RATING THAT WAS RELEASED BY TRS THIS PAST YEAR AS WELL.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THAT. SO WITH REGIONAL RATING, THEY EXPECT THAT THE AVERAGE COST OF TRS ACTIVE CARE INCREASE, YOU WILL HAVE A HIGHER INCREASE THAN OTHER REGIONS TO THE TUNE OF 3% HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE COST TO ALL OF TRS ACTIVE CARE.
SO THAT JUST TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT WHY ABOUT WHY COSTS ARE HIGHER IN THIS REGION THAN OTHERS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO EXPECT MOVING FORWARD.
WE DID LOOK AT BENCHMARKING AGAINST OTHER REGION 1011 DISTRICT, REGION TEN AND 11 DISTRICTS, AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE OVERALL HEALTH CARE COST IS VERY SIMILAR.
YOU PROVIDE $325 A MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS, $328 WAS THE AVERAGE.
SO YOU'RE VERY SIMILAR IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU'RE FUNDING TOWARDS TRS ACTIVE CARE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES, AND LASTLY, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE DO OR WE ARE LOOKING AT PROACTIVE STRATEGIES TO GO TO LOOK AT CURTAILING HEALTH CARE COSTS IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO TO OPT OUT OF TRS ACTIVE CARE WE HAVE STRATEGIES IN PLACE TO CONTROL THAT HEALTH CARE COST, AND SO IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT NEXT STEPS AND TIMELINES.
[00:15:06]
SERVICING YOUR EMPLOYEES FOR ACUTE ILLNESSES.SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FLU, STREP, EAR INFECTIONS, JUST THINGS THAT ARE DAY-TO-DAY.
ONE THING IT'S NOT DOING TODAY IS SERVICING EMPLOYEES FOR PREVENTATIVE AND MAINTENANCE CARE, AND TYPICALLY HEALTH CARE CLINICS ARE SET UP TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR PREVENTIVE CARE, BE THAT ONE STOP SHOP FOR GLOBAL PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE CARE.
SO WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL STRATEGIES MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING SERVICES SO IT BECOMES A GREATER VALUE TO THE EMPLOYEE AND THEIR DEPENDENTS. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL TO SEE IF MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS CAN BE ADDED.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT SYSTEMS FOR CARE COORDINATION AND CLAIMS TRACKING.
TODAY THERE ISN'T AN ABILITY TO LOOK AT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM THE HEALTH CARE CLINIC.
THERE'S ALSO POTENTIAL LACK OF SPACE FOR EXPANSION OF SERVICES.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT CLOSELY.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL TRS REIMBURSEMENT OFFSET FOR CLINIC VISITS AS WELL.
SO THERE'S OTHER CLINICS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
TRS PROVIDE SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR DOING THAT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TO HELP FUND POTENTIALLY EXPANSION OF SERVICES , AND THEN ALSO WE'RE GOING TO EVALUATE PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES, SORT OF FOR EXAMPLE, CITY OF GARLAND IS ALSO OUR CLIENT.
THEY HAVE A HEALTH CARE CLINIC THEMSELVES THAT ALSO DOES PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE CARE.
HOW CAN WE POTENTIALLY PARTNER AND CREATE ECONOMIES OF SCALE TO BETTER PROVIDE SERVICES TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS? LASTLY, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT HEALTH AND WELLBEING EVALUATION, LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT THE INCENTIVE STRATEGY TO BOOST ENGAGEMENT IN THE WELLNESS PROGRAMS. WE'LL LOOK AT FLEXIBLE INCENTIVES.
PREMIUM INCENTIVES TO HELP EMPLOYEES FOCUS ON WELLNESS AND PREVENTIVE CARE.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE KEY DEMOGRAPHICS OF YOUR WORKFORCE, PROVIDING PROGRAMS THAT MOTIVATE THEM, EXPAND COMMUNICATION AROUND WELLNESS, AND ALSO LOOK AT MENTORING PROGRAMS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP ON THE WELLNESS FRONT AS WELL.
SO WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AS WE PROCEED IN THE FUTURE WITH OUR STRATEGIC EVALUATION OF THE HEALTH CLINIC AND HEALTH AND WELLBEING, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT AT THE MOMENT , AND THEN LASTLY, THE TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS.
OUR INDEPENDENT OPINION IS THAT OPTING IN IS APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME, AND THEN AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, THAT IF YOU WERE GOING TO OPT OUT, THAT IS WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO LET TRS ACTIVE CARE KNOW THAT YOU WOULD BE OPTING OUT.
IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO OPT OUT, WE DON'T HAVE TO ELECT ANYTHING.
WE JUST CONTINUE THE WAY WE ARE.
SO I KNOW THAT WAS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST 3 TO 4 MONTHS.
I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
YES, SIR, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A COUPLE HERE AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ONE IS WITH THE TEACHER SHORTAGES THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE IN REGION 10 AND 11, HAS THERE BEEN ANY LOBBYING DONE WITH TRS OR THE STATE LEGISLATORS ON ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE? YOU KNOW, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT TEACHER SALARIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
TO ME, AN ADDED INCENTIVE IF WE REALLY WANT TO GET TEACHERS INTO THE FOLD OR REALLY COME INTO THE ORGANIZATION IS IF YOU WERE ABLE TO OFFER A BETTER PACKAGE FOR HEALTH CARE, THAT COULD BE I MEAN TO ME BECAUSE THAT'S A SAVINGS THAT'S MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE THERE AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT THE STATE PEOPLE HAVE EVEN CONSIDERED? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE IS LOBBYING BEING DONE.
I CAN'T PINPOINT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASES THAT WERE EXPECTED THIS LAST YEAR AND THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT CAME IN TO SUPPLEMENT THOSE, THERE'S AN INCREASE EXPECTED NEXT YEAR.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S DISCUSSIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL ABOUT IF THE STATE WILL STEP UP AND FUND ADDITIONAL MONEY IN ORDER TO POTENTIALLY OFFSET THOSE INCREASES. BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT'S WAY TOO EARLY TO KNOW WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DONE.
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS WHEN YOU WENT OUT AND DID THE PROPOSALS WITH THE OTHER COMPANIES, IT WAS APPLES TO APPLES.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS YOU COMPARED THOSE WITH WHAT TRS WAS ALREADY OFFERING, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, WE ASKED THEM TO QUOTE PLANS AS TEACHERS HAD TODAY, JUST MATCH THEM AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, YES, THERE'S AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON, EXCEPT FOR CIGNA.
[00:20:09]
. I'M JUST CURIOUS OF WHY TASB, AETNA AND UHC, WHY THEY DECLINED TO QUOTE? THEY THEY DECLINED TO QUOTE BECAUSE THE RISK OF YOUR GROUP WOULD PUT THEM IN A BAD POSITION FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE.SO, BASICALLY THE GROUP WAS TOO RISKY, SO TO SPEAK.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT IS RIGHT NOW, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO NOTE THAT THERE'S SOME GROUPS THAT CANNOT COMPETE WITH TRS AS WELL. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UNITED HEALTH CARE, THEY ARE UNABLE TO COMPETE IN THIS MARKET WITH TRS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SECTION OF THE TRS BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE RETIREE PROGRAMS. AND SO BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOT THE RETIREE PROGRAMS, THERE'S A NON COMPETE IN ORDER.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY UHC DID NOT QUOTE.
MR. MILLER. YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I WANT TO DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER ON ONE OF THE PAGES.
ON PAGE 27, THE HISTORICAL ANALYSIS PAGE.
IS THAT A FUNCTION OF MORE CASES BEING PRESENTED OR BEING TREATED? OR IS IT JUST HIGHER COSTS WITHIN THOSE CASES? SO IT IS MORE CASES THAT WERE BEING TREATED.
DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE AGE OF THE INSURED? IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE HAVE AN AGING POPULATION, WOULD THAT INFLUENCE THE NUMBER AT ALL, OR IS IT JUST A FACTOR OF I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT WOULD.
RIGHT. LOOKS TO ME LIKE HIS WAY OUT OF LINE.
SO WHAT WE FOUND IN LOOKING AT OUR GLOBAL BLOCK OF BUSINESS HUB INTERNATIONAL IS THAT WHEN COVID-19 HIT, THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN CARE THAT OCCURRED, BOTH PRIMARY PREVENTIVE PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD.
WHEN THAT HAPPENED, MANY ISSUES THAT WOULD HAVE PRESENTED THEMSELVES WERE MISSED AND SO WHEN WE SAW THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM REOPEN, WE SAW AN INCREASE IN LARGE CLAIMANTS.
SO A CANCER THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT AT STAGE ONE WAS NOW A STAGE THREE.
SO ALTHOUGH AGE IS A FACTOR, THERE'S ALSO TURNOVER WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AS WELL, THAT KIND OF RIGHT SIZES, THAT SHIP, SO TO SPEAK, BUT REALLY THE BIG ISSUE THIS YEAR WE'VE SEEN AS THAT COVID 19 DELAY OF CARE REALLY IMPACTING CLIENTS.
SO AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IN YOUR HEALTH CLINIC EVALUATION, WHICH IS OUR PAGE 30, YOU TALKED ABOUT MOST OF OUR VISITS HAVE TO DO WITH ACUTE ILLNESS.
IS THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T OFFER KIND OF MORE MANAGED CARE TYPE SERVICES OR IS THERE A--I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT IS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL CHARITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS THAT PROVIDES HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED PEOPLE, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED ET CETERA, AND THE GOAL THERE IS TO GIVE THEM THAT MANAGED CARE SO THEY DON'T WIND UP IN AN ER WHERE THE COST IS REALLY HIGH.
RIGHT. SO UNDER THAT CONCEPT, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD EXPLORE WITH OUR HEALTH CLINIC THAT WOULD HELP WITH OUR RESULT, I GUESS? ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE HEALTH CLINIC TODAY, THE WAY IT IS SET UP IS TO TREAT THOSE ACUTE CONDITIONS.
SO THERE'S NOT THE LAB SERVICES, THE TESTING SERVICES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN A MANAGED CARE SETTING TO BE ABLE TO TREAT PREVENTIVE TYPE CARE AND PRIMARY CARE.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO EXPAND SERVICES IN THOSE AREAS, GET THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACTS IN PLACE THROUGH A LAB, OR BRING THE LAB ON SITE TO DO THAT TESTING IN THE CLINIC SO THAT WE CATCH THESE ITEMS EARLIER AND POTENTIALLY OFFER THIS CLINIC AT NO COST TO EMPLOYEES TO UTILIZE SO THAT THERE'S NO FINANCIAL BARRIER TO CARE FOR CLINIC SERVICES, AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN NOT ONLY DO THAT, BUT PUT
[00:25:09]
INCENTIVES AROUND THE CLINIC, MANY OF OUR CLIENTS TIE PREMIUMS TO USE OF THE HEALTH CARE CLINIC GOING IN AND GET YOUR ANNUAL PHYSICAL DONE.SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE CAN EXPLORE IS THAT IF YOU GO GET YOUR ANNUAL PHYSICAL, YOU WILL PAY LOWER PREMIUM COST THAN SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T GET THEIR ANNUAL PHYSICAL OR LOOK AT PREVENTIVE CARE CLOSELY.
SO EXPLORING THAT A LITTLE MORE, I KNOW AT THE CLINIC I'M FAMILIAR WITH ON STAFF, ONE OF THE REASONS THEY CAN GIVE A LITTLE MORE INTENSE DEGREE OF SERVICE, IF YOU WILL, IS BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] DOCTORS ON STAFF THAT ARE THERE TO PROVIDE, I GUESS, MORE CRITICAL MEDICAL CARE.
DO YOU KNOW OF ANY EXAMPLES OF SCHOOL HEALTH FACILITIES WHERE THERE IS AN ACTUAL PHYSICIAN OR WHAT WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE COULD WE EXPECT TO PROVIDE FROM THAT? SO TO HAVE AN ONSITE HEALTH CARE CLINIC, THERE ARE STATE REGULATIONS TO THAT.
SO THERE HAS TO BE OVERSIGHT OF, SAY, IF YOU HAD A NURSE PRACTITIONER OR SOMEONE THAT IS NOT DOCTOR LEVEL, THERE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE A DOCTOR ON STAFF TO OVERSEE [INAUDIBLE] OR PERCENTAGE OF TIME TO OVERSEE THEM.
SO WE'VE SEEN CLINICS ROLL OUT A DOCTOR-LED CLINIC, OR YOU COULD LOOK AT NURSE PRACTITIONER-LED CLINICS WITH DOCTOR OVERSIGHT.
SO THERE'S SOME ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TO THOSE ITEMS, BUT IT'S MAINLY AROUND COST.
I WAS GOING TO SAY MY FINAL QUESTION ON THAT WOULD BE, IS THERE A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR BEEFING THAT UP VERSUS THE WAY WE CURRENTLY RUN IT? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IN ADDITION, AS WE EVALUATE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO HOPEFULLY LOWER THAT THE COST VERSUS PREMIUM RATIO? RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, IS EVALUATING THOSE FACTORS IN DETAIL AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO YOU.
MS. GRIFFIN. YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.
I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE NEXT STEPS AND I THINK YOU HAVE ALLUDED TO THE ANSWER, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR STAFF, I GUESS, DR. LOPEZ, TO CHIME IN.
SO I'LL GO YOUR NEXT STEPS JUST TALK ABOUT GETTING US READY IN TERMS OF OPTING IN AND OUT OF TRS ACTIVE CARE BUT THIS PAGE ON 30 LISTS SOME KEY AREAS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, AND THE EXPANSION OF THE CLINIC IS ONE OF THEM.
SO AM I TO ASSUME FROM THIS PAGE THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ON BOARD WITH US TO COMPLETE ALL THE ANALYSIS OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THIS PAGE AND WE WILL BE BROUGHT THE PROS AND CONS, THE COST.
IS THAT WHAT THE INTENT IS? SO AFTER WE GET PAST DECEMBER TO OPT IN AND OUT ON PAGE 30, THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE, WILL YOU ALL BE DOING THAT FOR US? ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS OUR NEXT STEPS.
YES, SO WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THEM AGAIN IN JANUARY TO START LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT [INAUDIBLE] ADD ANY MORE TO THAT, BUT YES, SO WE HAVE A GROUP THAT IS WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS.
STAY THERE. SO ARE YOU ALL GOING TO DEVELOP A PROJECT PLAN TO LOOK AT ALL OF THESE? AND WHAT IS YOUR BEST GUESS OF THE AREAS YOU WILL COME BACK TO US WITH DETAILED INFORMATION, WHAT COST ANALYSIS AND STUFF? WHAT DOES THAT TIME FRAME LOOK LIKE FOR US AS A BOARD? SO WITH THE AMOUNT OF PREPARATION, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT CALENDAR YEAR. SO I WOULD EXPECT MARCH IS PROBABLY FEBRUARY TO MARCH AND THAT IN THAT TIME FRAME.
AND THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION IS I DON'T THINK WE AS--WELL I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR LINDA GRIFFIN, AS A BOARD MEMBER, THAT WE WANT TO GET TOO FAR IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, BUDGET PREPARATION, AND WE HAVE NOT LOOKED AT SOME OF THESE CRITICAL THINGS HERE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEANS WE NEED TO DEEM WHAT IS TOP PRIORITY SO THAT WE'RE NOT ALMOST THROUGH WITH BUDGET PREPARATION FOR 23-24, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO COME BACK AND INSERT THIS.
I DON'T KNOW THE PRIORITY, AND SO THAT'S..
[00:30:03]
THE BIGGEST STRAP THAT WE HAVE, AND YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE TIED INTO THE TRS SYSTEM, WHICH IS REALLY THEIR SYSTEM. SO ALL THE PERIPHERALS THAT WE DO ARE GOING TO BE AT A COST.IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S FREE, AND SO BEING THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE, THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT GOING TO WHAT WE CALL FROM FROM WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY TO FULLY-FUNDED TO SELF-FUNDED.
THE SELF FUNDED PLAN GIVES US A LOT OF LEVERAGE.
SO WHAT A LOT OF SELF-FUNDED PLANS ALLOW US TO DO IS WE CAN PARTNER WITH CERTAIN HOSPITALS OR CERTAIN DOCTORS AND THEY WILL OFFER A DISCOUNT TO SEE OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CHILDREN.
SO NOT EVERYBODY THAT WORKS FOR US LIVES IN OUR AREA, AND SO WHEN WE SEE THAT WE WOULD BE PAYING ROUGHLY $6 MILLION EXTRA A YEAR, WAS THAT ABOUT RIGHT IF WE WENT SELF FUNDED? YES, 6.2 MILLION.
6.2 MILLION, THERE'S OTHER LEVERAGE POINTS THAT WE COULD USE FOR THAT RIGHT, BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE TYPE OF LEVERAGE POINTS, WE'VE GOT TO SEE WHAT THE INVESTMENT IS, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE INVESTING 5-$6M OR IF WE SAY WE WANT TO LOWER PREMIUMS THE WAY WE DO IT IS MOVING FROM 375 TO THE $500 RANGE.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE PRESENTATION, THAT NEXT STEPS COULD MEAN THAT THIS IS AUTOMATIC, THAT WE HAVE AGREED THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, AND I JUST WANTED CLARITY THERE.
SO IF WE CAN HAVE THAT, A NICE, NEAT LITTLE PACKAGE THAT'S GOING TO REALLY HELP US AS FAR AS THE DECISION TO HOW WHICH AVENUE OR LANE THAT WE CAN GO DOWN. MR. JOHNSON, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I ENJOYED THAT SUMMARY AND REPORT.
WHICH INSURERS BID EFFECTIVELY? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED CIGNA, AND UHC COULDN'T, BUT DID BLUE CROSS BID? NO, THEY DIDN'T.
BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD INDEPENDENTLY CANNOT COMPETE AGAINST TRS ACTIVE CARE.
SO I'M TRYING TO ROLL THROUGH MY HEAD THE MAJOR, MAJOR HEALTH INSURERS THAT ARE OUT THERE , AND THERE'S HUMANA WHO DECLINED. YES.
SO EFFECTIVELY, PRETTY MUCH ALMOST ALL THE MAJOR ONES OTHER THAN CIGNA AND AETNA DECLINED ? SO AETNA DECLINED AS WELL.
DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OPTIONS.
THAT'S INTERESTING. YOU KNOW, TRUSTEE MILLER ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT AGE, AND TO ME, I THINK WE'RE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION IN THE INDUSTRY WE'RE IN, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COVID.
SO THAT SEEMS LIKE KIND OF A BIT OF AN ARTIFICIAL SPIKE, IT SHOULDN'T KIND OF AMELIORATE, BUT THE OTHER ISSUE IS SO THE GREAT RESIGNATION, SO TO SPEAK, THAT OCCURRED, WE LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A CERTAIN RANGE THAT MAYBE WEREN'T READY FOR RETIREMENT YET, BUT THEY DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND RETIRE DURING THAT TIME FRAME, AND WE REPLACED THEM WITH RELATIVELY YOUNG.
WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF NEW TEACHERS AND NEW TEACHERS IN A PROFESSION THAT'S ABOUT, WHAT, 75, 80% FEMALE? THAT'S A LOT MORE YOUNG WOMEN WHO GET PREGNANT, AND SO I THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE IN FOR A ROUGH FEW YEARS WITH RESPECT TO THAT WHEN IT COMES TO LOSS RATIO, BUT THAT IS WHAT IT IS.
DR. LOPEZ SPOKE ABOUT LEVERAGE POINTS WITH RESPECT TO SELF-FUNDED BENEFIT PLANS.
[00:35:02]
OPEN THE DOOR TO AT THAT POINT YOU ARE A PLAN SPONSOR AND THAT MEANS YOU CAN BE SUED FOR ANY TYPE OF BENEFIT DETERMINATIONS THAT AN EMPLOYEE DOESN'T THINK IS NECESSARILY APPROPRIATE, AS OPPOSED TO A FULLY FUNDED PLAN WHICH THEY SUE THE INSURANCE COMPANY IF THEY HAVE A CLAIM WHICH THEY DON'T AGAINST TRS IS MY UNDERSTANDING. I DON'T SEE WE HAVE ANY CHOICE OR OPTION BUT TO CONTINUE IN TRS FOR THE TIME BEING.IT'S STILL SOMEWHAT SEEMINGLY SUBSIDIZED BY SUBSIDIZING SOME OF OUR ROUGH PATCHES AND I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, THE CARE FROM THE SOUND OF IT IS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT WE COULD GET IN THE PRIVATE MARKETPLACE.
SO THOSE ARE MY $0.02, THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTION FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? MR. GRIFFIN. YES, I'D JUST LIKE TO STATE A BIT OF HISTORY.
WE WERE SELF FUNDED FOR DECADES, SO I MEAN, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN WE CAME OUT, BUT I THINK WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF IT, I THINK OVER MAYBE 15 YEARS, MAYBE TEN, I'M NOT SURE, BUT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WE WERE SELF FUNDED.
SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT CYCLE AND KNOW THE PROS AND CONS OF THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
PAUL GONZALEZ. NATHAN HART OF REED, WELLS, BENSON & COMPANY.
GOOD EVENING, FACILITIES CHAIR AND FINANCE CHAIR.
I BRING TO YOU THIS EVENING AN INFORMATION ITEM IN REGARDS TO HUDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE ARE HAVING QUITE A BIT OF SANITARY SEWER ISSUES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS EXCUSE ME, AND THIS PAST START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I BROUGHT IN MR. NATHAN HART WITH REED, WELLS AND BENSON TO KIND OF LOOK AT ALL OF THE PIPING AND THE FACILITY, KIND OF GIVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DISTRICT AND HOW WE APPROACH THIS. ON THE LAST BOND PROGRAM, WE DID REPLACE SECTIONS OF THE PIPING THAT WERE DETERIORATED AS WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROJECT AS PART OF THE BOND.
WE ADDRESSED WHAT WAS PRETTY MUCH DETERIORATED, BUT NOW IT'S CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, AND I'M GOING TO LET MR. HART KIND OF GIVE YOU THE PROPOSAL OF PHASE ONE.
HE'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THAT AND THEN HE'LL ROLL INTO PHASE TWO.
SO AS MR. GONZALEZ NOTED AT HUDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE KIND OF HAVE A FEW ISSUES OVER THERE , AND WHAT WE LOOKED AT IS THE WAY THAT THE PIPING IS ROUTED OVER THERE AND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST LOADS ON A SANITARY SYSTEM ARE YOUR KITCHEN AND THEN YOUR GROUP TOILETS, AND WHAT HAPPENS IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SCHOOL, THE KITCHEN, THE LINE COMES OUT, GOES THROUGH THE GREASE INTERCEPTOR, THEN COMES BACK IN AND GOES BACK UNDER THE SCHOOL, RUNS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL, THEN POPS OUT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL, AND SO THERE'S A LARGE LOAD THAT GOES BASICALLY THE ENTIRE HALF OF THE SCHOOL TO GET BACK OUT AGAIN, AND SO IN LOOKING AT THAT AND LOOKING AT WHERE THE SANITARY MAIN IS OUT THERE IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL, WE LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THE WHOLE ISSUE WHERE THE DISTRICT, WHEN THEY WENT IN AND DID SOME OF THE RESTROOM RENOVATIONS IN THE LAST BOND NOTED THAT SOME OF THE PIPING WAS DETERIORATING IN THOSE RESTROOMS AND HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS EVER SINCE, HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE MAIN ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SCHOOL IS HAVING PROBLEMS. THEY'VE SCOPED IT A NUMBER OF TIMES.
THEY'VE COME UP WITH MUD AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME ISSUES THERE WITH IT DRAINING PROPERLY.
SO WE SAID, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE SOME IMMEDIATE RELIEF, WE CAN TAKE ONE OF THE LARGEST LOADS THE KITCHEN OFF RIGHT AFTER IT COMES THROUGH THE GREASE INTERCEPTOR, JUST DISCONNECT IT FROM GOING BACK IN THE SCHOOL AND RUN IT STRAIGHT OUT TO THE MAIN AT THE FRONT, AND IT'S MOSTLY GREEN SCAPE AND A COUPLE OF WALKWAYS THERE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE AND ALL THAT WORK COULD BE DONE WHILE SCHOOL'S IN SESSION.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN SCHOOL.
[00:40:01]
WE CAN KIND OF WORK ON THAT SIDE, LEAVE THAT SIDE OPEN WHERE THE BUS DROP OFF IS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY, AND I THINK THE PLAN IS TO DO THAT SOMETIME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TENTATIVELY CALLING PHASE ONE AND THEN PHASE TWO WOULD BE TO COME IN AND DO THE ACTUAL HARD PART, WHICH IS ALL THE SANITARY MAIN UNDERNEATH THE SCHOOL, AND THAT MAIN APPEARS TO BE A STRUCTURED SLAB, AND SO IT'S NOT JUST AS EASY AS COMING IN AND SAW CUTTING SOME TRENCHES.SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS.
COULD BE AN OPTION TO COME IN AND HAVE TO TAKE OUT BASICALLY SAW CUT AND TAKE OUT SOME POTENTIALLY LARGER PORTIONS TO GET THE MAIN OUT AND PUT ANOTHER MAIN IN THERE.
ONE OF THE OTHER OPTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS POTENTIALLY LIKE YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF THE HOUSES POTENTIALLY COMING AND MAYBE TUNNELING A PORTION OR ALL OF THAT AS WELL AND POTENTIALLY MAYBE DOING A MIX OF THE TWO, MAYBE TUNNELING SOME OF THE ONES CLOSER TO THE OUTSIDE, MAYBE SAW CUTTING THE ONES CLOSER TO THE INSIDE, AND TRYING TO DO SOME TYPE OF COMBINATION TO WHERE WE CAN TRY TO DO THE MAJORITY OF THAT WORK OVER THE SUMMER WITHOUT DISRUPTING INSTRUCTIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THE SCHOOL, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE PHASE TWO AND THAT WOULD BE BID OUT HERE PROBABLY IN THE SPRING AND THEN AWARDED AND THEN A CONTRACTOR CHOSEN AND DO THAT FOR SUMMER '23.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE GENERAL HIGH LEVEL SCOPE OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND I GUESS AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? MR. MILLER.
YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK, JUST TRYING TO VISUALIZE.
WHAT DO WE HAVE IN THERE? MR. GONZALES. I THINK IT'S PREDOMINANTLY VCT.
IT COMES FROM THE WEST SIDE THROUGH THE CAFETERIA ACROSS THE CORNER OF THE STAGE AND THEN RUNS PREDOMINANTLY DOWN A LOT OF CORRIDORS , AND SO IT'D PREDOMINANTLY BE THROUGH THE CAFETERIA AND A LOT OF CORRIDORS.
THERE'S A FEW PLACES WHERE WE'D PROBABLY END UP IN SOME RESTROOMS AND SOME CLASSROOMS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF IT WOULD BE MORE TOWARDS THE COMMON AREAS, BUT IT IS PREDOMINANTLY VCT. YEAH, I THINK IT'S A NECESSARY PROJECT, THERE'S A FEW THINGS WITHIN THE SCHOOL BUILDING THAT YOU WANT TO WORK AND THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THEM.
IT WOULD BE ONE OF THEM, BUT I WOULD JUST URGE US TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT DONE DURING THE SUMMER, ESPECIALLY ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CREATE DUST AND OBSTRUCTION FOR THE USE OF THE BUILDING WHEN WE START BACK UP IN THE FALL.
MS. GRIFFIN. SO, MR. GONZALEZ, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD AS A BOARD IN THE MEETING AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, BE VOTING ON THE PHASES, OR ARE WE GOING TO VOTE AT THE WHOLE PACKAGE? WELL, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE REED, WELLS AND BENSON UNDER CONTRACT FOR THEIR SCOPE OF WORK, BUT WE HAVE A PLUMBING CONTRACT AND THEN WE HAVE A MECHANICAL CONTRACT THAT IS EXISTING ALREADY THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO DO TO DO PHASE ONE.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ALL NEXT MONTH TO DO THE ACTUAL--EXCUSE ME, I'LL BE COMING BACK FOR PHASE TWO TO DO THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION OF AWARD OF BID FOR THE LARGER SCOPE FOR PHASE TWO, BECAUSE PHASE ONE, WE CAN ACTUALLY MEET THE CAPACITY WITH OUR CURRENT CONTRACT IN PLACE.
IS THAT IN THE STABILIZATION FUND? 651, IS THAT PHASE ONE OR IS THAT THE WHOLE PACKAGE? THAT WOULD BE THE WHOLE PACKAGE, AND I BELIEVE I BELIEVE THAT THIS EVENING, MISS BRANDY MAYO WILL ADDRESS THAT IN HER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. GONZALEZ.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I APOLOGIZE, DR.
DR. SHELLEY GARRETT, ANNA BANNER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN BEACH, DR.
THERE YOU GO. NOW YOU CAN'T SEE ME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN BEACH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, DR.
LOPEZ. I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
[00:45:02]
I'M ANNA BANNER. I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO GIVE YOU THE TRANSPORTATION QUARTERLY UPDATE.THESE NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY FROM ROUTE SERVICES REPORT WE SUBMITTED TO TA IN AUGUST.
OUR 613 VEHICLES CONSIST OF 367 YELLOW SCHOOL BUSSES, 246 WHITE FLEET VEHICLES.
WE DROVE MORE THAN 4 MILLION MILES IN THAT TIME PERIOD, WHICH WAS A DEFINITE INCREASE OVER THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH WAS 3,714,489 MILES. LOTS OF FUN IN OPERATIONS.
WE DO ALL IN-HOUSE, EVEN YOUR CLP TESTING, WHICH IS THE PERMIT.
WE DID ADD ANOTHER ROUTE SUPERVISOR TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE CUSTOMER SERVICE.
DOING A WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY, HIGH FIVE FRIDAYS.
THE WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY IS AN EMAIL THAT GOES OUT TO THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT THAT LETS THEM KNOW IT'S WEEKLY AND LETS THEM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING DURING THE WEEK COMING UP, WHAT THEY NEED TO LOOK FORWARD TO ANY MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE, JUST INFORMATION THAT THEY MIGHT NEED TO HAVE GOING FORWARD.
HIGH FIVE FRIDAYS IS EXACTLY THAT.
WE HAVE A SPOT FOR 295 DRIVERS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY ABOUT 16 SHORT STILL.
75 MONITORS, CURRENTLY ABOUT TEN SHORT, 14 MECHANICS.
OUR FIRST PERSON IS IN ABOUT 430 IN THE MORNING.
WE LEAVE OUT OF THERE ABOUT 630 IN THE AFTERNOON OR THE EVENING.
WE'RE BASICALLY A 24 SEVEN DUE TO FIELD TRIPS.
FOR OUR FLEET WISE, AGAIN, WE HAVE 367 YELLOW BUSSES, 246 WHITE FLEET.
THE FUN THING WITH THE GPS SYSTEM THOUGH, IS THE CAMPUSES WILL BE ABLE TO USE THIS TO SEE WHERE THEIR BUSSES ARE, TO TRY TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND IF THE BUSSES ARE GOING TO BE LATE, WHERE THEY ARE EXACTLY IN THAT PROCESS, AND WE'RE ALSO MIGRATING OUR PARTS ORDERING SYSTEM, WHICH IS RTA, RON TURLEY ASSOCIATES, THAT WILL HELP US WITH A PAPERLESS SHOP.
PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON THE ROUTING SOFTWARE ROLLOUT, WHICH [INAUDIBLE] WHICH YOU JUST APPROVED, WHICH WILL GIVE US THE PARENT APP, THE WAYFINDER FUN THINGS FOR THAT. WE'RE WORKING ON THE FINAL STEPS RIGHT NOW SO WE CAN GET STARTED ON THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
IT IS 6 HOURS FOR BUS MONITORS AND BUS DRIVERS.
WE DO A SPOTLIGHT HERO OF THE DAY.
SO THESE PEOPLE ARE NOMINATED BY CAMPUSES, THEIR PARENTS, FELLOW EMPLOYEES, JUST SOMETHING THAT THIS PERSON DID TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR NORMAL ROUTINE OF DRIVING A BUS OR MONITORING.
SO IN SEPTEMBER, WE CREATED BIRTHDAY PACKAGES WITH CAKE MIXES, PANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GO OUT TO THE SHELTERS, THE HOMELESS SHELTERS. OCTOBER WE COLLECTED ITEMS FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTERS IN SACHSE AND GARLAND.
THIS MONTH WE'RE DOING FUZZY SOCKS.
WE CREATED AN ACTIVITY COMMITTEE WHICH REALLY WE WANT TO BRING THE HOMETOWN FEEL BACK.
WE DID OUR FIRST COOKOUT NOVEMBER THE FIRST.
YESTERDAY, WE HAD NACHO DAY OFF.
[CHUCKLING] SO WE HAD A NACHO BAR.
VETERAN'S DAY WE'RE HAVING CAKE FOR ALL THE VETERANS.
IT MAKES IT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO WORK, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. ANY QUESTIONS?
[00:50:03]
MS. BANNER, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, THE JOB THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THERE.I WAS JUST CURIOUS ON THE I NOTICED WHERE THE 16 SHORT BUS DRIVERS HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT IN OUR BOARD INSIGHT WEEK TO WEEK SINCE SCHOOL HAS STARTED, AND I'M CURIOUS IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CONDENSING THE ROUTES TO HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF DRIVERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THAT ARE CONSISTENT AND BEING THERE SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FROM THE START TO COMPLETION FOR SOMEONE WHO IS TRYING TO GET THEIR CDL AND BECOME ONE OF THE DRIVERS SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER UP TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE OR ARE [INAUDIBLE] THE ROUTE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE CHILDREN? GREAT QUESTION. IT TAKES ABOUT 30 TO APPLY, GET THROUGH HR, START YOUR TRAINING AND ACTUALLY HAVE YOUR CDL IN THE END.
SO, IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON, BETWEEN 30 AND 45 DAYS.
YES, WE HAVE CONSOLIDATED SOME ROUTES.
WHAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT LEAVE AND THEN SO THAT OPENS UP POSITIONS.
SO IF WE WERE A FULL HOUSE AND NOBODY EVER CALLED IN SICK, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE PRETTY GOOD.
I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
OKAY, QUESTIONS? MS. GRIFFIN. MR. MILLER. MR. GLICK. YOUR NUMBER ON FIELD TRIPS, IS THAT ON PER ACTIVITY OR PER BUS? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST HAD FIVE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS GO TO MESQUITE MEMORIAL FOR THE MARCHING BAND CONTEST, AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE BUSSES FROM EACH HIGH SCHOOL.
EACH OF THOSE BUSSES, IS AT A FIELD TRIP? IT'S PER BUS, YES, SIR, AND WE'RE RUNNING RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT 9000, ACTUALLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM B, ACTION ITEM, NON CONSENT.
[IV.B. Action Items (Non Consent)]
ITEM NUMBER ONE. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF BUDGET TRANSFERS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE 22-23 GENERAL FUND.MRS. MAYO. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR.
LOPEZ. SO I'M BRINGING YOU THE NOVEMBER BUDGET AMENDMENT.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE 55.
WE HAVE OUR NORMAL BUDGET NEUTRAL TRANSFERS TO REALIGN EXPENDITURES.
WE ARE REQUESTING 121,000 FOR A TITLE NON ADMINISTRATOR POSITION.
WE ARE ASKING FOR $624,798 FOR OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE INCREASE.
I WAS AT A BUDGET ACADEMY LAST FRIDAY DOWN IN HOUSTON AND THERE WAS A PRESENTATION DONE ON THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY INSURANCE THAT IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE STATE.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE EXPENSE THAT DISTRICTS ARE STARTING TO SEE THIS IMPACT, AND WE DID EXPERIENCE THIS A FEW YEARS AGO WITH A LARGE INCREASE AND IT'S COMING BACK AGAIN TO US NOW AND THE CONTRACT REVIEW AND INFORMATION IS LATER ON IN THE AGENDA TODAY.
WE ARE ALSO REQUESTING A TRANSFER OUT.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S 1.152800, SO $1.1 MILLION THERE.
THERE'S $1,000,000 THAT IS BEING REQUESTED FOR THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SANITARY LAWN REPLACEMENT THAT YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT TWO AGENDA ITEMS UP THAT MR. GONZALEZ PRESENTED FOR HUDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN 152,800 FOR PARK CREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDEN.
SO THIS IS JUST A SUPPLEMENT THE MONEY THAT WAS ALREADY THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU MIGHT SEE I THINK IT'S LIKE 205,000 AND THIS IS ONLY 152.8K ANY QUESTIONS? VERY GOOD. QUESTIONS? MS. GRIFFIN. YES, GO TO THE SUMMARY PAGE ON 55.
IS THERE ANY REASON WE CAN'T HAVE SPECIFICS ON THIS SUMMARY SHEET, JUST LIKE THE OTHER FUNDING THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE HUDSON LINES AND THEN ALSO FOR PARK CREST? CAN DETAILS BE INCLUDED OUTSIDE OF THIS BUDGET CODE NUMBER? ABSOLUTELY, AND WE CAN PROVIDE ANY DETAILS.
[00:55:04]
DID I MISS IT? YEAH.I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADD--BUT IF WE COULD PUT IT--YEAH OF COURSE--NEXT TO WHERE WE ACTUALLY SEE THE FIGURE.
BE CLEARER SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR EXPECTATION.
I'M JUST ASKING ON THE SUMMARY PAGE, CAN YOU JUST INCLUDE THOSE DETAILS ON THE LINE ITEM? I WOULD BE HAPPY TO INITIATE A FORMAT CHANGE FOR YOUR REVIEW IN THE BOARD MEETING AND YOU CAN SEE IF THAT'S SATISFACTORY AND THEN WE COULD UPDATE IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING, IF YOU AGREE.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO REALLY--THIS FORMAT IS FINE.
OUTSIDE OF GENERAL ADMISSION, IT WOULD JUST SAY...
THE SPECIFICS WOULD BE JUST RIGHT THERE.
OKAY. I DON'T WANT YOU TO DO ANYMORE WORK.
JUST MOVE YOUR COMMENTS INTO THE APPROPRIATE COLUMN.
AM I MAKING ANY SENSE? OKAY I'LL CHART IT OUT AND I'M SORRY. THANK YOU.
MAYBE I'M MORE OF A VISUAL LEARNER MS. GRIFFIN. I APPRECIATE IT. YES, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE THAT NEED.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL JUST SAY THE TITLE NINE CAME FROM AN OCR AUDIT THAT WE RECENTLY HAD.
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS DOES RANDOM AUDITS ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO ONE OF THEIR HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THINGS WAS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S ALL THEY DO IS SPEARHEAD THE TITLE NINE COMPLAINTS WITH AS BIG OF A DISTRICT WE ARE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT WAS KIND OF ONE OF THE MITIGATING STANDING THINGS THAT WE AGREED WITH THEM, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A PERSON OVERSEEING ANY VIOLATIONS THAT MAY BE HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT, AND THAT'S THE GENESIS OF THIS POSITION.
OKAY, APPARENTLY, I JUST MESSED UP THAT QUESTION ALTOGETHER.
I AM NOT CHALLENGING THE POSITION AT ALL.
I WAS JUST ASKING FOR [INAUDIBLE] BY THE BUDGET LINES [INAUDIBLE] AND NOT BELOW.
MR. MILLER. YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS WITH RESPECT.
I MEAN, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT PREVIOUSLY ABOUT WORK TO BE DONE IN HUDSON.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF DETAILS COMING ON THAT LATER.
IT'S JUST A COUPLE OF LINE ITEMS PAST ME.
OKAY. YEAH, IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THE AGENDA, BUT MR. FERNANDEZ WILL BE PRESENTING THAT.
SO THAT WILL COME FORWARD? YES. YES, SIR. VERY SOON YOU WILL HAVE ALL OF YOUR GARDEN INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. MAYO. THANK YOU.
I'M SORRY. LAST MONTH YOU REPORTED AN EXTRA LOCAL REVENUE OF $1,000,000 FOR INTEREST.
YES. SO, MS. ROUNTREE INDICATED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WE HAVE, I CALL IT A FLOAT.
INTEREST RATES NOW GOING UP DECIDEDLY SINCE THAT POINT, AND THEY'LL GO UP AGAIN.
YES. HOW MUCH ARE YOU PROJECTING FOR ADDITIONAL INTEREST THIS YEAR? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
MS. ROUNTREE AND MS. DAVENPORT AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE WORKING ON A FINAL ANALYSIS TO COME BACK TO YOU.
WE DO EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE SOME INCREASE.
I'VE RUN MY NUMBERS, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN YOU, AND YOU COME OVER ALMOST A PLUS 8 MILLION.
YEAH, WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE SO WE'LL BRING THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
THANK YOU. WILL THAT BE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE BUDGET WHEN YOU'RE.
IT WILL BE AN AMENDMENT, YES, TO LOCAL REVENUE FOR THE INTEREST INCOME LINE.
[01:00:01]
WE ADJUSTED IT BY $1,000,000 LAST MONTH AND WE WOULD EXPECT TO INCREASE THAT AGAIN.VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYO. ALL RIGHT, GOING TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A $30,000 DONATION FROM COMMUNITY PARTNER, LARRY GLICK.
TANYA RAMOS. YES, I'LL BE GOING AHEAD AND PRESENTING THAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR.
I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT AND SPECIALIZED SERVICES, AND WITH ME TODAY, I HAVE OUR VERY DISTINGUISHED ECSE TEACHER, SHEILA MCCOMAS, WHO SPEARHEADS MORGAN'S WONDERLAND OUR COORDINATOR OVER THE ECSE PROGRAM.
TODAY, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING OUR STUDENTS' OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MORGAN'S WONDERLAND.
IT'S THE ULTRA ACCESSIBLE THEME PARK LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN TEXAS, IN SAN ANTONIO, WHERE INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN PARTICIPATE IN EVERY ACTIVITY AND ON EVERY RIDE.
OUR GISD ECSE TEACHER MS. MCCOMAS, HAS BEEN RAISING FUNDS YEARLY TO TAKE HER STUDENTS FOR ALMOST THE PAST TEN YEARS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD POLICY CDC LOCAL AND GISD CAMPUS AND DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES, GIFTS AND DONATIONS CONDITIONED UPON A SPECIFIC PURPOSE IN AMOUNTS GREATER THAN 5000 MUST HAVE BOARD APPROVAL.
SO WE'RE HERE REQUESTING THAT YOU APPROVE TO ACCEPT THE GENEROUS DONATION OF $30,000 FROM MR. LARRY CLICK TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR MORE STUDENTS TO ATTEND.
WE HAVE A SHORT TWO MINUTE VIDEO WHERE IT'LL BRING MORGAN'S WONDERLAND TO LIFE.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE.
WELL, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR BOARD MEMBER, LARRY GLICK, FOR MAKING THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION AND DONATION AND WHAT A SERVANT HEART THAT HE HAS FOR THIS, AND I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[APPLAUSE] LARRY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT? YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY.
SO IS IT OKAY IF MISS MCCOMAS, SHE'S ONE OF MY REAL HEROES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY, AND SHE CAME READY WITH HER CAMP GEAR.
SO THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE DONE THIS.
[01:05:08]
MS. MCCOMAS CALLED ME UP, SAYS, DO YOU KNOW THAT INSPIRATION ISLAND DOESN'T OPEN UNTIL OUR SCHOOL KIDS ARE GOING TO BE THERE? AND THROUGH HER ASSISTANCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEOPLE, I THINK, IT'S CALLED NETWORKING, THEY OPENED INSPIRATION ISLAND JUST FOR GISD.WONDERFUL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. GRIFFIN. YES, THANK YOU.
THIS IS EXCITING, AND WE ARE A DISTRICT OF ALL STUDENTS AND THIS DEFINITELY HAS A CAPITAL A-L-L ALL ON IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK SOME MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
THE NUMBER OF DAYS YOU ALL TALK ABOUT A CAMP, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE IT TO US NOW, BUT YOU CAN SEND IT TO US LATER SO THAT WE HAVE IN OUR MINDS, HOW LONG IS IT THE NUMBER OF DAYS, WHETHER THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ATTENDING, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE STUDENTS, AND WHAT'S THE ELIGIBILITY? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME TYPE OF PROCESS.
SO IF IN HOWEVER YOU WANT TO UPDATE US WITH THAT INFORMATION, THEN ALL OF US WILL KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE SO WE CAN ALL UNDERSTAND WHEN PEOPLE APPROACH US AND SAY SOMETHING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. MILLER? ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU, MS. RAMOS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THANK YOU AGAIN. OKAY, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A $30,000 DONATION FROM COMMUNITY PARTNER, TEXAS CAMPUS INNOVATORS AWARD GRANT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE MR. BLAND IS GOING TO BE DOING THIS.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN, BEACH BOARD MEMBERS AND DR.
I AM MICHAEL BLAND, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION FOR GARLAND ISD.
THIS RECOMMENDATION IS REQUIRED BY GARLAND ISD'S CDC LOCAL POLICY THAT STATES IN ORDER TO ACCEPT ANY AWARD THAT A DONOR HAS EXPRESSLY MADE CONDITIONAL UPON THE DISTRICT'S USE FOR A SPECIFIED PURPOSE, IT SHALL REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL.
ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THE FOUR CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE CHOSEN TO RECEIVE THE AWARD.
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE STAFF WILL USE THE AWARD TO INVEST IN WORK BASED FIELD TRIPS, CLASSROOM RESOURCES, TEACHER RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, TEACHER RETENTION STRATEGIES, TEACH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND LASTLY, RESOURCES AND MATERIALS AS NEEDED.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
YEAH, THANK YOU. WE'RE ALWAYS SO PROUD OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE HEART TO GIVE.
WOULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE MORE ABOUT TEXAS CAMPUS INNOVATORS? IS THERE AN ORGANIZATION BEHIND THIS? IS THIS A SUBSET OF A BIGGER ORGANIZATION OR EXACTLY WHO IS THIS? YES, SIR, SO EDUCATE TEXAS IS PART OF THE INITIATIVE FOR COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS OF TEXAS, AND WE HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT NETWORK AS WELL, AND SO AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION DONE EARLIER THIS YEAR AT THE COTTON BOWL RECEPTION WHEN THEY CHOSE THE SITE FOR THE COTTON BOWL THIS YEAR, AND THEY ALSO ANNOUNCED THE FOUR AWARD RECIPIENTS, AND SO THERE'S A P-TECH CATEGORY AND ALL THE CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE IN THAT NETWORK ARE JUDGE BASED ON HOW WELL THEIR P-TECHS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AND FIDELITY OF PROGRAMING AND ALSO THE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS, AND SO AS A RESULT, ROWLETT HIGH SCHOOL WAS CHOSEN.
THANK YOU, MIKE. MS. GRIFFIN, ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. BLAND. THANK YOU. WE'LL BE VOTING ON THAT ON NOVEMBER THE 29TH.
THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE PARK CREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL GARDEN, AND THAT'S MR. JAVIER FERNANDEZ, HERE COMES YOUR GARDEN, MR. MILLER. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMITTEE CHAIR.
[01:10:02]
MR. BEACH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, DR.LOPEZ, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT TO YOU A PROJECT.
IT'S THE PARK CREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL GARDEN.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS STARTED AS A RESULT OF THE EPA CLEANUP IN THAT AREA, AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS OF THAT CLEANUP PROCESS.
THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF CLEANING UP, THE EPA HAD CLEANED UP PORTIONS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL GARDEN AT PARK CREST ELEMENTARY. DURING THAT PROCESS, WHEN THERE'S A CLEANUP, THAT MEANS THAT EVERYTHING THERE WAS EXCAVATED OUT.
SO ANY VEGETATION THAT WE HAD THERE WAS REMOVED, THE SOILS WERE REMOVED, THE SOILS WERE REPLACED WITH CLEAN SOILS, AND IT IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S EFFORTS TO GO BACK WITH AN EDUCATIONAL GARDEN THAT IS SUPERIOR THAN WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE.
SO HISTORICALLY ABOUT THIS EDUCATIONAL GARDEN, THE GARDEN BROKE GROUND IN MAY 2018.
IT IS BEING DEVELOPED BY PHASES THROUGH A COLLABORATION EFFORT OF THE CAMPUS AND ALONG WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND LET ME STOP HERE AND JUST MY APOLOGIES, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE AND RECOGNIZE THE PRINCIPAL OF PARK CREST.
SHE HAS BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO SIT IN THE AUDIENCE HERE.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT.
HER AND HER STAFF HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT EDUCATIONAL GARDEN, AND I ASKED HER IF SHE WOULD NOT MIND BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO SHARE WITH YOU.
SO ANYWAY, CONTINUING ON, THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN STARTED IN MAY OF 2018.
THERE WAS A KEYHOLE GARDEN THAT WAS ALSO ADDED IN THE FALL OF 2019.
NATIVE PRAIRIE GARDEN WAS ADDED IN THE SPRING OF 2020.
THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THIS GARDEN.
STUDENTS MEET THERE TWICE YEARLY.
GROW GARDEN GROW IS A PARTNER WITH PARK CREST.
THE ART TEACHER TAKES AN EXTREMELY AMOUNT OF INITIATIVE.
THE ART TEACHERS, THE COUNSELORS, THE NURSE ARE VERY MUCH INVESTED IN THE GARDEN WITH OUR STUDENTS.
IN ADDITION TO THEM, STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES ALSO PARTNERS WITH PARK CREST ELEMENTARY IN THIS EDUCATIONAL GARDEN BY WORKING WITH THEM IN A PROGRAM THAT'S CALLED THE CAFETERIA PROGRAM.
IT'S A GARDEN TO CAFETERIA PROGRAM THAT STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES WORKS WITH PARK CREST .
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THIS GARDEN.
KEEP GARLAND BEAUTIFUL, GROW GARDEN GROW, THE BOY SCOUTS, CITY OF GARLAND PARKS BOARD, GIVING GROVE, WHICH IS A DALLAS NONPROFIT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION THAT WE HAVE THERE IN THE GARDEN.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THE GARDEN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THIS EDUCATIONAL GARDEN.
GROW GARDEN GROW, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ALONG OUR TEACHERS TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL CURRICULUMS FOR THIS GARDEN, AND THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 20 MINUTES A WEEK OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION WITHIN THIS FACILITY.
SO THIS IS JUST A COLORED DESIGN OF WHAT THE GARDEN LOOKS LIKE.
I APOLOGIZE. IT'S A LITTLE SMALL TO LOOK AT.
THE AREAS OF THE GARDEN THAT PERTAIN TO IT ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE COLORED WITHIN THE GREEN AREAS.
ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE THAT'S GREEN WITH A CIRCLE ON IT, THOSE ARE EXISTING TREES.
THE GARDEN ITSELF IS BASICALLY FROM THE STREET OF PARK CREST UP TO THE FIRST SIDEWALK WHERE THE PARKING LOT IS.
SO IT'S A RATHER LARGE GARDEN.
[01:15:04]
SUNDIALS, A PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO GROW THE VARIOUS TYPES OF VEGETABLES, FRUITS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS THAT THEY WORK WITH IN THE CAMPUS.THE COST FOR THIS, IT'S $205,000, ROUGHLY $206,000 WORKING WITH THAT GARDEN, AND SO THE STAFF IS MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
THIS PROJECT, THE FUNDS WILL BE IN THE EDUCATION STABILIZATION FUND 651, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE. MS. GRIFFIN, MR. MILLER. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE LOCATIONS.
IS THIS KIND OF THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER OF THE PROPERTY WHERE THE GARDEN WAS? YES, SIR.
AND WILL THIS BE A FENCED AREA? IT IS NOT A FENCED IN AREA.
THERE WILL BE A TRELLIS THAT IS A WELCOMING TRELLIS THAT WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENTER THE GARDEN THROUGH THAT AREA, BUT IT IS NOT PLANNED TO BE FENCED IN.
THAT'S FINE. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE CAME ACROSS, OR ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED BACK WHEN THE WHOLE EPA REMEDIATION PLAN WAS ONGOING WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT OVER THE YEARS, THINGS LIKE THIS GET USED, [INAUDIBLE] USE FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE NO REAL IDEA OF WHAT IS GOING INTO THE DIRT, UNDER THE DIRT, ETC.
IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE TO AT LEAST KNOW HOW IT'S BEEN USED? WHAT'S BEEN USED? ANY FERTILIZERS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
TRUSTEE MILLER YOU YOU ARE CORRECT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S STILL IN DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IS AS WE START BUILDING GARDENS AND MAKING THE COMMITMENT TO GARDENS, WE NEED THE COMMITMENT MADE NOT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AREA ONLY, BUT FROM THE CAMPUS.
SO MANY TIMES WE COMMIT ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE AND ASSIST IN THE GARDEN AND ADMINISTRATION VERY WELL INTENDED ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE FROM THE CAMPUS LEVEL VERY GOOD INTENTIONS.
THINGS HAPPEN, PEOPLE CHANGE, THINGS TRANSITION OUT AND THE GARDENS THEN START TO DECAY.
SOILS ARE BEING BROUGHT IN THAT NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ESTABLISHING MORE OF A COORDINATED EFFORT WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING GARDENS WITHIN GARLAND, CREATING, IF YOU WILL, A SOLIDIFIED PARTNERSHIP, ONE THAT'S DOCUMENTED BETWEEN THE CAMPUSES AND THE ADMINISTRATION, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW THESE GARDENS, BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL THIS BENEFIT PARK CREST, BUT ONCE THIS IS DONE, WE WILL SEE MORE AND MORE CAMPUSES WANTING TO INVEST AND WANTING TO DO WHAT PARK CREST IS DOING, AND SO, YES, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION--IT'S A LONG ANSWER--WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AS FAR AS CREATING SOME MORE FORMALIZED PROCESSES.
WILL THAT FORMALIZED PLAN BE COORDINATED WITH THE BEGINNING OF USE OF THIS PROPERTY, OR IS THAT GOING TO COME LATER DOWN THE ROAD? I MEAN, HOW'S THAT GOING TO TIME OUT? AND FIRST OF ALL, MAN, I HATE TO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A DOCUMENT IN ORDER TO DIG IN THE DIRT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF RIDICULOUS, BUT WE ALSO FIND OURSELVES IN A SPOT OF KIND OF NEEDING TO KNOW CERTAIN THINGS, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ON PROPERTY THAT WE CONTROL WHERE KIDS THAT WE WANT TO GIVE AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TREATING IT WITH THE UTMOST CARE.
SO HOW IS THAT GOING TO TIME OUT? WELL, THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE BEFORE THIS GARDEN IS COMPLETE.
I HAVE SHARED THAT WITH THE PRINCIPAL THERE AT PARK CREST THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING SOME KIND OF DOCUMENT THAT WOULD ENSURE THE COMMITMENT FROM THE CAMPUS AS FAR AS THE INVESTMENT GOES, BECAUSE THIS IS A LARGE INVESTMENT FOR THE DISTRICT TO DO, AND SO THE CAMPUS IS AWARE THAT THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT DEVELOPED SO THAT WE CAN THEN FORMALIZE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[01:20:02]
AGAIN, I WILL REITERATE THAT WHEN WE DID THAT ASSESSMENT AND WE SHARED WITH THE BOARD, WE HAVE ALL TYPES OF GARDENS IN OUR SCHOOLS.WE'RE NOT SAYING HAVING A DOCUMENT TO DIG IN THE DIRT, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A DISTRICT WE KNOW WHAT PRODUCTS ARE BEING PUT ON THE SOILS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY.
THANK YOU, THAT'S JUST THE CONCERN IS JUST KIND OF KNOW HOW THE [INAUDIBLE] USED.
IF THERE ARE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT WILL BE INVITED TO COME IN AND HELP OR USE IT, I THINK JUST ONCE A YEAR, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF REVIEW OF THAT AND NOT JUST LET IT, YOU KNOW, TRANSITION, I THINK IS THE HARDEST THING, ESPECIALLY WHEN PERSONNEL MOVES AROUND, IS MAKING SURE THAT A CONSISTENTLY APPLIED DISCIPLINE WITH RESPECT TO HOW WE USE THE GARDEN IS ACHIEVED, ESPECIALLY THROUGH TURNOVER AND ALL THAT.
SO THAT TO ME IS WHERE SOMETIMES WE DROP THE BALL, BUT THANK YOU.
YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. FERNANDES.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, AND THAT'S CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR SALARY SCHEDULE ADDENDUM.
TCLAS DECISION 11A EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAM.
DR. BROWN. GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR.
LOPEZ. I PRESENT TO YOU AN ADDENDUM TO OUR SALARY SCHEDULE AND GUIDE THE PAPERWORK THAT IS BEING PASSED TO YOU AT THIS TIME IS A REVISION.
WE HAD A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHO WOULD RECEIVE THIS.
THIS ONE HAS TO DO WITH NUMBER 11, DECISION 11, AND THIS PROVIDES EXTENDED DAY SUPPORT TO SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES.
THE PROPOSAL FOR A STIPEND TO INDIVIDUALS, PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WHO WORK WITH THE EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM IS THOSE WHO WORK FOR ONE DAY PER WEEK WOULD RECEIVE A $500 STIPEND, AND THOSE WHO WORK FOR TWO OR MORE DAYS PER WEEK WOULD RECEIVE A $1,000 STIPEND. THERE ARE THREE SCHOOLS WHERE WE WILL HAVE STAFF WHO WILL RECEIVE STIPENDS.
STEPHENS ELEMENTARY, HEATHER GLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SOUTHGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF STIPEND AVAILABLE IS $10,000 AND WE WOULD SPEND $5,000 THIS YEAR AND $5,000 NEXT YEAR. THE FUNDING SOURCE IS OUR TCLAS GRANT.
I HAVE HERE THIS EVENING WHO JUST HELPED PASS OUT THE REVISED BOARD DOCUMENT, MISS KELLY GARCIA, WHO IS OUR COORDINATOR FOR OUR EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAM.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR, MS. GARCIA? DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK FOR FEW MINUTES, MS. GARCIA? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BEACH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN BEACH DR.
LOPEZ AND THE COMMITTEE BOARD MEMBERS.
I AM, YES, THE PROUD ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAM, WHICH IS GAP GARLAND ISD AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMING, AND THAT TITLE DERIVED FROM ONE OF DR.
LOPEZ'S HOLDSWORTH'S PILLARS ELIMINATING THE GAP.
SO WE LANDED ON SEVEN ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES THAT WE WERE VERY CONFINED WITHIN THE DECISION 11 TCLAS GUIDELINES, AND WITH THIS PROGRAM, THE PRINCIPALS WANTING TO SUPPORT THEIR CAMPUSES.
THE GOAL IS AFTER THE TWO YEAR PROGRAM IS TO HAVE THESE TYPE OF SYSTEMS THAT ARE EXTENDING INTO TIER ONE INSTRUCTION AND NOT JUST REMEDIATION FOR KIDDOS AFTER SCHOOL IS TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THOSE INTO THE SCHOOL DAY OR TO REEVALUATE THEIR TUTORIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
SO, THESE PRINCIPALS WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING A LASER LIKE FOCUS ON THE HQIM MATERIALS THAT ARE BEING USED RIGHT NOW AND SO THAT THEY COULD TRANSFER THAT INFORMATION AND TRANSFER THOSE TOOLS INTO THE DAILY TIER ONE INSTRUCTION.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
YES, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT THE AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING.
[01:25:03]
IS THIS THE EXTRA 30 MINUTES, OR IS THIS ANOTHER PROGRAM? AM I CONFUSING PROGRAMS? I'LL CLEAR IT UP FOR YOU.OUR DISTRICT, WROTE THE GRANT FOR 210 STUDENTS.
SO WE HAVE SEVEN CAMPUSES THAT HOST GIVE OR TAKE 30 STUDENTS WITH THEIR STAFF AND WE WORK IN THE HQIM OF TIER ONE INSTRUCTION, TIER ONE ALIGNMENT.
WE ARE VERY SPECIFIC ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THE GAP PROGRAM ARE CONTINUING ON WITH THEIR TIER ONE INSTRUCTION, SUPPORTING ANY GAPS IN THE TIER ONE PIECE OF IT.
THAT'S ABOUT AN HOUR OF THE PROGRAM, HOUR AND A HALF OF THE PROGRAM.
THE SECOND HALF OF THE PROGRAM IS ENRICHMENT.
WE PUT UP THE CHROMEBOOKS, WE PUT UP THE ACADEMIC PIECE, AND WE WORK SPECIFICALLY ON ENRICHMENT.
SO WHATEVER CAMPUSES ARE OFFERING, IT COULD BE ANY RANGING FROM STEM TO ANIMATION TO CODING.
I WAS JUST EXCITED TO LEARN THAT AT PARK CREST, MS. KLECKNER IS WORKING ON THE GARDENING AND IS ASKING FOR THE APPROVAL FOR THAT PIECE OF IT.
THAT'S ENRICHMENT AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST ACADEMICS.
SO ON OUR UPDATED INFORMATION, YOU KEEP SAYING SEVEN CAMPUSES.
WHAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS? SO ARE WE PROGRESSING TO SEVEN AND WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMMODATE SEVEN WITHIN THE FIGURES THAT ARE ON THIS PAPER, OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE MONEY TO INCLUDE THE SEVEN? ALSO, GIVE ME THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE'RE SERVING.
WE HAVE 210 STUDENTS THAT WE'RE THAT WE ARE SERVING CAMPUSES RECRUITED.
I WORKED WITH THE RAAD DEPARTMENT TO OFFER THE BEST MEANS FOR CAMPUSES TO DETERMINE WHICH 30 STUDENTS THEY WERE GOING TO OFFER THE PROGRAM TO, AND THAT'S THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR QUESTION.
I BELIEVE THE FIRST HALF IS THE THREE PRINCIPALS AND THE SEVEN CAMPUSES.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF SEVEN CAMPUSES THAT HAVE THIS PROGRAM ON THEIR CAMPUS FOR AFTER SCHOOL.
ALL PRINCIPALS ARE PART OF THE PLANNING PROCESS OF IT.
EACH CAMPUS HAS GAP LEADS THAT I AM IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH.
SOME OF THOSE GAP LEADS INCLUDE THOSE THREE CAMPUSES WITH THE TWO ADMINISTRATORS FROM SOUTHGATE, ONE FROM STEPHENS AND ONE FROM HEATHER GLEN, BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE ADMINISTRATIONS FROM THE SEVEN THAT WANTED TO BE PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PIECE OF IT AND THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
I KNOW YOU WORKED WITH RESEARCH, BUT DOES THE PROGRAM ITSELF HAVE THE GUIDELINES THAT IDENTIFY WHAT STUDENTS AND HOW THE STUDENTS ARE CHOSEN? YES, MA'AM. THERE ARE GUIDELINES.
YES, BUT PART OF THIS PROGRAM ALSO IS TO HELP CAMPUSES MOVE THEIR NEEDLES.
THIS PROGRAM IS GEARED TOWARDS YOUR TIER ONE STUDENTS, YOUR HIGH TIER TWO STUDENTS, TIER ONE STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT PERSONAL TIME WITH A TUTOR OR WITH A TEACHER.
OKAY, ONE LAST QUESTION. YES, MA'AM.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE FROM THE PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE? SURE, WE ARE WORKING ON A SURVEY RIGHT NOW THAT I AM SENDING OUT FOR THE FIRST PIECE FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER.
IT'S A 90 DAY PROGRAM, 45 DAYS, FIRST SEMESTER, 45 DAYS, SECOND SEMESTER, AND WE ARE SENDING OUT A SURVEY IN THE MIDDLE OR AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER. ACTUALLY, I JUST SENT OFF THAT INFORMATION TO RAAD TO GET IT INTO A SURVEY MONKEY AND I WILL HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT PARENT FEEDBACK REGARDING THE PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA. OKAY, THANK YOU.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX ON NEW BIDS.
MR. BOOKER, ARE YOU GOING TO DO ALL THESE BIDS? I'LL DO A QUICK REVIEW OF THE FIRST ONE, SIR.
WE'RE GOING TO NEW BIDS ITEM NUMBER A, CONTRACT 128-3023.
[01:30:05]
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF MOVIE LICENSING SUBSCRIPTION (DISTRICT WIDE).ONCE AGAIN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO DR.
LOPEZ. THE CONTRACT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU IS FOR MOVING LICENSING.
THE RECOMMENDED AWARD IS TO SWANK MOTION PICTURES, THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT IS $100,000 WHICH WILL BE USED DISTRICTWIDE FOR PURCHASING OF THOSE LICENSES AS THE SCHOOLS DESIRE.
WE HAVE ONE FROM THE FLOOR HERE FROM MS. STANLEY. WILL THIS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO USE THESE MOVIES FOR OUTSIDE SHOWING, OR IS THIS JUST STRICTLY GOING TO BE FOR INSIDE OF THE SCHOOLS? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LICENSES CAN BE USED AS LONG AS IT'S FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE, AND WE DON'T CHARGE FOR THEM.
I ASK THE QUESTION SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE I HAD GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF OUR PTAS THAT THEY HAD TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN LICENSING FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THEY WERE SHOWING IT OUTSIDE AS OPPOSED TO SHOWING IT INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU THE QUESTION, BECAUSE IT JUST PUTS A BURDEN, AND IT WAS NOT A FUNDRAISER.
IT WAS JUST A SCHOOL ACTIVITY.
I CAN INVESTIGATE IT, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT ISSUE, MS. STANLEY, BUT I CERTAINLY CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AS LONG AS IT'S FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND AS DR.
THANK YOU. MR. MILLER. YEAH, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON HER QUESTION.
MAYBE THIS IS NOT A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. BOOKER, BUT WHAT IS THIS LICENSE USED FOR? HOW IS IT USED? WHAT PURPOSES IS IT USED? IT'S JUST THE RIGHTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE LICENSES.
I KNOW IT GIVES US ACCESS TO--WHAT MOVIES ARE SHOWING, WHAT EVENTS [INAUDIBLE] USED WITHIN CAMPUSES, AND MAYBE THAT'S A QUESTION FOR SOMEBODY ELSE ANOTHER DAY , BUT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH US HAVING MOVIE LICENSES.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT I'M THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THIS, BUT I DID BRING A FRIEND--TO PHONE A FRIEND--AND SO I'M GOING TO INVITE MISS JEANINE BOYETT, OUR COORDINATOR OF LIBRARY MEDIA SERVICES, WHO IS RECOMMENDING THE AWARD OF THIS CONTRACT.
THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I NEED.
THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SEE ME OVER THE COMPUTER.
OKAY, I DIDN'T CLOSE IT ALL THE WAY.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M GOING TO BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, AND THEY CANNOT CHARGE TO SEE THE MOVIE. HOWEVER, IT CAN FUNCTION AS A FUNDRAISER, AS YOU CAN HAVE DONATIONS OR THEY CAN CHARGE FOR THE POPCORN AND ALL THE EXTRA THINGS.
SO PTA CAN USE IT FOR A FUNDRAISER IF IT'S IN THE BUILDING.
THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I AM TEXTING THE COMPANY RIGHT NOW ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION AND HE SAID--I SAID, CAN IT BE OUTSIDE? AND HE SAYS NOW BECAUSE OF THE LICENSE YOU CAN ALSO SELECT SHOE MOVIES, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
HE SAYS, YES, IT CAN BE OUTSIDE.
I THINK THE QUESTION IS, HOW CAN THESE MOVIES BE USED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES? SURE, SO THEY CAN BE USED FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES.
THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS, TO SWANK.
ONE IS THE MOVIE LICENSING, AND BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALL ONE FAMILY, EVEN THOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO SAY WE'RE ALL ONE FAMILY, WE ARE SHOWING IT TO NON FAMILY MEMBERS, SO THAT MAKES IT NOT LEGAL TO SHOW A MOVIE THAT WAY.
IT SAYS IT ON THE BACK OF ALL MOVIES, AND SO THIS LICENSE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT FOR ANY OF THOSE REASONS . NOW TEACHERS CAN USE THE STREAMING AND JUST SELECT A PORTION OF A MOVIE OR A DOCUMENTARY, AND THEY CAN USE THAT TO SUPPORT THEIR CURRICULUM.
SO IF THEY'RE TEACHING ABOUT THE WAR OF 1812, THEY CAN SHOW A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THAT.
OR IF THEY'RE A LAW SCHOOL, THERE ARE MOVIES THAT THEY CAN SHOW THAT COULD JUST PORTIONS AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO ASSIGN THE WHOLE THING, AND ALSO IT HAS TO HAVE APPROVAL.
SO IT'S A TWO PART WITH SWANK.
HOW BIG IS THE DATABASE? SO THERE'S 30,000 MOVIES.
SO YOU CAN FIND A MOVIE THAT FITS SO IS IT USED PRIMARILY BY TEACHERS OR PRIMARILY BY PTA? IT'S ACTUALLY USED BY BOTH.
[01:35:02]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER B, CONTRACT 357-22-01, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF MENTAL HEALTH PLATFORM AND CARE COORDINATION. MR. BOOKER. YES, SIR.DR. GILMORE HAS A GUEST PRESENT THAT WILL GIVE A PRESENTATION OF THE SERVICES THAT WOULD BE OFFERED.
GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DR.
TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION, AND WE HAVE INVITED THE CEO OF CARE SOLACE, CHAD CASTRUITA, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CARE COORDINATION SERVICE AND PLATFORM.
PRIOR TO ALLOWING CHAD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE WHY AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE SEEKING TO PURCHASE THIS PLATFORM SINCE AUGUST.
OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND RESPONSIVE SERVICE COUNSELORS HAVE CONDUCTED OVER 9175 COUNSELING OR RESPONSIVE SERVICE OFFICE VISITS BASED ON MENTAL HEALTH OR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS.
OFTEN, THESE VISITS RESULT IN REFERRALS, AND WHILE OUR COUNSELORS WISH TO PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION TO FAMILIES AND EVEN CARE, SOMETIMES THE NEED FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES PRESENTS AN ISSUE FOR US BECAUSE LESS THAN 30 OF OUR 158 COUNSELORS SPEAK AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE. IN ADDITION, WE'VE HAD 312 SUICIDE PROTOCOLS CONDUCTED SINCE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IN WHICH 275 OF THOSE RESULTED IN REFERRALS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WHEN IN CRISIS OR NEEDING ACCESS TO INTENSIVE INPATIENT, OUTPATIENT OR PSYCHIATRIC CARE.
DR. LOPEZ. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
GARLAND, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT OUR MISSION HERE AT CARE SOLACE.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO START WITH A VERY REAL STORY.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL TAKE ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO READ THIS.
THIS CAME IN A FEW WEEKS BACK FROM ONE OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PARTNERS.
IT SAYS THERE ARE NO WORDS STRONG ENOUGH.
THE COMPANY IS AMAZING BEYOND ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD.
WHEN YOU MENTION THE COMPANY TO ME I WAS HOPEFUL, BUT NOT TERRIBLY OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TRYING IN VAIN FOR EIGHT MONTHS TO FIND COUNSELING FOR BOTH DJ AND KAREN TO HELP FIGHT THEIR DEPRESSION.
I GO THROUGH INTAKE INTERVIEWS JUST TO BE PUT ON A 6 TO 8 MONTH WAITING LIST.
I LEAVE VOICE MESSAGES AND EMAILS FOR THERAPIST THAT GO UNRETURNED.
TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE CHAOS OF MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN EXHAUSTING.
OUR INSURANCE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED IN THIS AREA AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR PRIVATE COUNSELING, AND JUST TO SCROLL DOWN AND SAYS THIS COMPANY ACCOMPLISHED IN ONE HOUR WHAT I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING TO ACCOMPLISH ON MY OWN IN EIGHT MONTHS, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE AT CARE SOLACE.
WHAT DO YOU DO IN A TIME OF CRISIS? NOBODY KNOWS. HOW DO YOU FIND A THERAPIST THAT'S AVAILABLE? IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
SO CARE SOLACE FILLS THAT GAP.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST DATABASE OF MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS AND SERVICES FOR EVERY STUDENT, WHETHER THEY HAVE INSURANCE OR WHETHER THEY HAVE NOTHING, WE HAVE THEIR BACK FOR ANY PURPOSE, WHETHER IT'S A CRISIS OR THEY JUST NEED TO FIND A THERAPIST.
WE CIRCUMVENT THAT UBER-FIED THAT PROCESS TO GET EXPEDITIOUS CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORTS.
I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT MY WIFE.
[01:40:10]
HOMELESSNESS. IT'S A BLESSING TO EVEN BE SPEAKING TO YOU ALL.IT TOOK 4 TO 6 MONTHS BEFORE I LANDED INTO SUPPORTS, AND THEY HAVE THE BEST INSURANCE IN THE STATE.
SO WHEN I GOT CLEAN AND SOBER AND BACK ON TRACK, IF YOU WILL, I SAID TO MYSELF, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOSE COMMUNITIES IN EAST LOS ANGELES OR COMPTON OR SOME OF THOSE LOW SOCIOECONOMIC COMMUNITIES WHERE PARENTS HAVE NOTHING, HOW DO THEY GET ACCESS TO SERVICES? AND IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WHEN I WENT ON MY RESEARCH PROJECT.
SO, CARE SOLACE, WE'VE SEEN IT ALL.
WE FILLED IT OVER 15 MILLION SERVICE REQUESTS FOR HELP SINCE WE LAUNCHED IN 2018.
SO WE'VE SEEN IT ALL FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND STAFF ON THE FRONT LINES, WORKING WITH DR.
GILMORE'S TEAM THAT ARE ENGAGED IN TRYING TO GET THESE KIDS CONNECTED, AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE CIRCUMVENTED A LITTLE, LITTLE MORE THAN 200,000 SERVICE REQUESTS FOR HELP TO DATE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I'M GOING TO CLICK ON A LINK AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL WORK.
OUR SERVICE HAS TOUCHED, 240 PEOPLE IN THIS PARTICULAR QUADRANT HERE, AND IT BREAKS DOWN BY AGE, BY GENDER, BY ETHNICITY, AND WHAT INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE WE LINKING PEOPLE OR WHETHER THEY HAVE NO INSURANCE AND LINKING THEM TO ACCESS TO SUPPORTS? I POINT THIS OUT TO YOU BECAUSE ONE OF THE SINGLE GREATEST ISSUES IS THE CRIPPLING WAIT TIMES IN DALLAS COUNTY.
SO IT'S LITERALLY JUST MORE THAN 30 DAYS TO THREE MONTHS JUST TO SEE A THERAPIST IN DALLAS COUNTY, AND CARE SOLACE HAS WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS FROM 75042 ZIP CODE.
THE ZIP CODE HERE WE HAVE OVER 476 PROVIDERS IN A FIVE MILE RADIUS TO BRING ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO SUPPORTS, AND WITHIN A 15 MILE RADIUS, WE HAVE 3716 ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS RIDING ON STANDBY TO BE OF SERVICE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK HERE AND SEE IF I CAN GO BACK TO WHERE I WAS.
YEAH, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU TAKE OVER.
JUST A COUPLE. SO THIS IS SOME OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS.
SO STIGMA IS STILL AT THE FOREFRONT, WHETHER IT'S IN FORT WORTH, WHETHER IT'S IN.
COMPTON OR LEXINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, OR [INAUDIBLE] OR [INAUDIBLE].
SO A LOT OF FOLKS JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN MENTAL HEALTH, AND SO HOW DO WE NAVIGATE A HARD KNOW TO SERVICES? WE NAVIGATE THEM BY MATCHING THEM TO SERVICES THAT ARE THE SAME LANGUAGE AND CARE SOLACE SPEAKS 213 LANGUAGES IN OUR LIVE CARE COMPANION TEAM TO EXPEDITE SERVICES, AND WE MATCH THEM TO AGE, TO GENDER, TO ETHNICITY SO PEOPLE FEEL TRUSTED AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH GETTING ACCESS TO SERVICES, AND NOBODY LIKES TO NAVIGATE THEIR OWN INSURANCE.
SO WE WANTED TO BE THAT SERVICE THAT PROVIDES EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE BETWEEN INSURANCE COMPANIES, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, SOMEBODY YOU NEED TO CIRCUMVENT THE PROCESS AND STEP IN AND HELP, AND THEN HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THE CRIPPLING WAIT TIMES IN THE COUNTY? JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER QUICK THINGS.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THIS LIVE.
SO IF I CAN GO BACK TO THAT AREA, I'D LIKE TO SHOW THIS LIVE.
SO I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN REAL TIME FOR A PARENT THAT'S IN NEED RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE INTERVIEWED OVER 30,000 PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT WANTED ANONYMITY AND PRIVACY FOR THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLD CONCERNS AND THIS IS THAT ACCESS.
WHAT ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH? I'LL JUST RUN THROUGH THIS SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO GET ACCESS IN REAL TIME TO SERVICES.
WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH, ALL THE DSM FIVE CATEGORIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH, ALL THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER CATEGORIES FOR DRUG ADDICTION, VAPING, FENTANYL IS A BIG CONCERN THROUGHOUT THE US, BUT I'LL CLICK ON NEXT.
WHAT TYPE OF TREATMENT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? WELL, LET'S CLICK ON THERAPY AS AN EXAMPLE, BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU CAN GET A LIVE ASSESSMENT.
THE GENDER IDENTITY OF THE PERSON AND CONCERN THE AGE OF THE PERSON IN CONCERN THE ETHNICITY.
[01:45:04]
WE HAVE YOUR BACK.IN THE STATE, WE HAVE YOUR BACK.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE HERE AND CLICK ON MEDICAID.
I'LL CLICK ON 75042, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ZIP CODES HERE IN GARLAND.
I'LL PUT WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS.
THIS IS FOR STUDENT, I'LL HIT GET MATCHED AND THEN HOPEFULLY [INAUDIBLE] AND THESE ARE ALL THE PROVIDERS READY AND ON STANDBY TO FACILITATE ACCESS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PERSON IN NEED.
SO WE HAVE QUITE A HEALTHY GROUP OF FOLKS WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS THAT COULD BE ACCESSIBLE, AND JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW THIS WORKS, WHAT WE DID IN 2020 IS WE LAUNCHED A LIVE COMPONENT TO GET BACK TO EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT'S MISSING AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND SO WE WANTED A LIVE COMPONENT KNOWN AS OUR CARE COMPANION TEAM, AND THIS CARE COMPANION TEAM, OUR LIVE RESPONSE TEAM, OUR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM IS JUST THERE TO BE A SERVICE.
HI. HOW ARE YOU? YEAH, I'M SORRY TO BOTHER YOU.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO BRING YOU IN.
I'M JUST SHOWING THEM HOW IT WORKS.
YEAH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S COVERED, WHAT'S NOT COVERED.
LET ME IF YOU CAN EXIT, GO BACK.
YEAH. OH, GREAT, THANKS, AND SO THIS IS HOW MANY PROVIDERS.
OUR DATABASE IS PRETTY RICH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IT TOOK US ABOUT A YEAR TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, BUT WE HAVE OVER 21,000 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE TOUCHES AND ACCESS POINTS FOR ALL THESE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS.
THIS IS THIS IS REALLY THE MEAT OF ACCESS IN THE STATE.
WE HAVE OVER 1700 TELEHEALTH THERAPISTS RIDING ON STANDBY.
IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO FIND ACCESS BETWEEN 24 HOURS AND FIVE BUSINESS DAYS OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE, WHAT'S ACCESSIBLE, AND THE TOTAL APPOINTMENT DATE AND THE ENROLLMENT TIME TYPICALLY TAKES WITHIN WITHIN 1212 BUSINESS DAYS TO GET THOSE SUPPORTS AND ENROLL INTO THOSE SUPPORTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF OUR SNAPSHOT IN THE STATE.
I WOULD POINT TO THE RIGHT SIDE, PILLAR 4 P.M.
TO 8 A.M.. SO CARE SOLACE IS 24 BY SEVEN 365 INCLUDE HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS.
WE'RE THERE TO BE OF SERVICE AROUND THE CLOCK FOR THESE FAMILIES AND WE FIELD THOUSANDS OF CALLS DAILY, WEEKLY MONTHLY FOR PARENTS THAT JUST GET HOME, GET THE KIDS TO BED AND NEED TO FIGURE THIS STUFF OUT AND ARE RESEARCHING IT AND JUST WANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY THAT HAS THEIR BACK, WE'RE THERE TO PROVIDE THAT EXCELLENT SERVICE AND TO BRING CLARITY FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLD CONCERNS.
THIS IS THE ETHNICITY, AGE AND GENDER.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE DATA TOUCHES THAT WE CAPTURE FOR BOARD IMPACT REPORTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE CAPTURE AGE, GENDER, ETHNICITY, MOST PRESSING NEED ACROSS SCHOOL SITES.
HOW MANY SERVICES HAVE BEEN ENROLLED? HOW MANY PARENTS HAVE USED THE SERVICE? HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED SUPPORTS? HOW MANY STAFF HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPORTS FOR THEMSELVES? AND WE KIND OF BREAK THAT DOWN.
THIS IS PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE INSURANCE THAT WE SEE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO MOST OF OUR SERVICES ARE FOR THOSE LOW SOCIOECONOMIC.
FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE EITHER NO INSURANCE, WHICH IS ALMOST 12% IN THE STATE, BUT WELL OVER 50% JUST IN MEDICAID AND CHIP ALONE AND MILITARY INSURANCE. NOW, THIS IS THE FINAL SLIDE.
THIS IS VERY INTERESTING HERE.
IF I CAN TURN TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS SLIDE.
THE RIGHT BUBBLE IS TREATMENT TYPE.
SO THERAPY IS IS 51% OF THE TOTAL TREATMENT TYPES.
KIDS NOW NEED MORE LONGER TERM, MORE INTENSIVE PATHWAYS OF SERVICES.
ALMOST 50% OF ALL SERVICES ARE MORE INTENSIVE, LONGER TERM SUPPORTS.
THOSE ARE ALL THE KIDS THAT DR.
GILMORE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT NEED TO BE REFERRED INTO DALLAS COUNTY FOR THOSE MORE INTENSIVE PATHWAYS AND THAT'S WHERE WE STEP IN TO EXPEDITE THAT ACCESS, AND DISRUPTIVE AND ANGER AND CONDUCT DISORDER IS NOW A TOP FOUR CATEGORY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
SO THAT'S IT FOR ME AND REALLY APPRECIATE THIS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
[01:50:01]
THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.YEAH, AND CHAD, I DIDN'T GET YOUR LAST NAME.
YOU'LL HAVE TO SPELL IT FOR ME LATER.
SO, CHAD, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NETWORK OF PROVIDERS.
ARE THERE QUALIFICATIONS CERTIFICATIONS THAT GO INTO THAT AND WITHIN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE HOOKING A FAMILY OR A CHILD UP TO THE RIGHT PROVIDER? IS THAT AN INTERVIEW PROCESS? YOU KNOW, IF I BLEW MY RADIATOR, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP KIND OF THING.
SO IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO DESCRIBE HOW THAT WORKS.
SO WE HAVE A WE HAVE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CARE CAR WASH, AT CARE SOLACE.
SO WE HAVE A VETTED AND VERIFIED PROCESS.
SO WE LOOK AT EVERY PROVIDER'S LICENSE, WHETHER THEY'RE J CREDITED, WE LOOK AT THE RIP OFF REPORTS, LAWSUITS, HOLDS ON LICENSURE, SPECIALIZATION, INTAKE PROCESS, AGE, GENDER, THE ETHNICITIES THAT THEY SERVICE AND THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY HAVE AND THEIR LOCATION, AND WE UPDATE OUR DATABASE EVERY THREE MONTHS.
SO THIS MATCHING ALGORITHM, IT'S OUR BACKEND TECHNOLOGY THAT LOOKS AT ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS SPECIALIZATION BASED ON THE FILTER THAT YOU SELECT AND THEN MATCHES PEOPLE ACCORDINGLY, AND THE CARE COMPANION DOUBLE VERIFIES THAT AND HELPS YOU ENROLL RIGHT INTO THE FRONT DOOR.
ARE YOU INVOLVED AT ALL LIKE IF DISPUTES ARISE BETWEEN THE FAMILY AND THE PROVIDER, DO YOU GET INVOLVED IN THAT OR IS THAT JUST BETWEEN THEM? YEAH, WE DO. SO ACROSS THE US WE HAVE AN 83% SATISFACTION RATE.
SO TYPICALLY ABOUT 17 TO 20% OF FAMILIES REQUEST AN ALTERNATIVE RESOURCE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE FIT OF THE AGENCY, THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE PERSON THAT'S WORKING AT THE AGENCY. IT WASN'T A GOOD FIT FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO THEY WANT US TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE RESOURCE FOR THEM.
SO OUR COMPANION TEAM, WE HAVE OUR LIVE TEAM.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE 150 HOURS OF CLINICAL TRAINING, DSM FIVE SERVICE TRAINING, HOW TO MANDATED REPORTING, SUICIDAL IDEATION, CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS BEFORE THEY CAN HANDLE A CASE.
WELL, THANK YOU. I KNOW THROUGH OBSERVATION OF THINGS THAT DEMYSTIFYING THE PROCESS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE SITUATIONS, THEY'RE ALMOST PARALYZED.
IT'S JUST HARD TO THINK THROUGH WHAT TO DO.
SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE THESE THINGS HAPPEN 24/7.
ARE YOU OPEN? 24/7/365, YES, SIR, AND I SHOWED YOU THAT DATA SET THAT ABOUT ALMOST 30% OF OUR TOTAL TEXT EMAILS, VIDEO CHATS AND PHONE CALLS COME BETWEEN 4 PM AND 8 AM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MY, YOU KNOW, THE CRITERIA AND ELIGIBILITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SUPPORT, BUT TALK TO ME ABOUT IS THIS AVAILABLE ON ANY PLATFORM? SO WHAT ARE THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS? SO IS IT PHONE? IS IT IPAD? TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH. SO IT'S AVAILABLE IN TWO WAYS.
THE OTHER WAY TO USE THE SERVICE IS THROUGH THE COUNSELING TEAM AND GARLAND.
SO WE HAVE A 24 BY SEVEN TECH SUPPORT TEAM.
WE HAVE ABOUT 57 PEOPLE ON THAT TEAM, 24/7 TO BE OF SERVICE IF SOMETHING WERE TO BE SHUT DOWN OR SOMETHING WASN'T WORKING OR SOMEBODY HAD A TECHNICAL QUESTION OR HOW TO USE SOMETHING, WE'RE THERE TO RESPOND.
I KNOW WE HAVE TO BE ASKED THE QUESTION BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH INDIVIDUALS AND CONFIDENTIALITY.
IS THERE ANY WHAT TYPE OF REPORTING DO YOU PROVIDE THE DISTRICT AND OUR COUNSELING DEPARTMENT I KNOW YOU'RE NOT DOING NAMES AND SPECIFIC, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN USE AS A MEASUREMENT TO SEE WHAT WE ARE
[01:55:01]
ACCOMPLISHING? TELL ME WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.CAN YOU HELP ME GO BACK TO THAT ONE AREA AND I'LL PULL UP THE.
IT'S RIGHT UP THERE. SEE THAT ONE? YEAH. THERE. SO THIS IS A LIVE REPORT FROM DESOTO ISD WITHIN THE COUNTY.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS.
THIS IS. THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A BOARD IMPACT REPORT.
SO THIS IS FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND BOARD IMPACT.
THIS IS ACCESSIBLE IN REAL TIME.
EVERY MONTH YOU'LL GET A PDF IMPACT REPORT OF TOTAL SERVICES RENDERED.
THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS ACROSS THE SCHOOL SITES ROLLED UP INTO A DISTRICT WIDE ANALYTIC OF TOTAL ENROLLMENTS, FOR WHAT PURPOSES, AGE, GENDER, ETHNICITY, KIND OF THAT WHOLE BREAKDOWN. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
SO AS YOU RUN INTO SITUATIONS THAT YOU HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE IN YOUR VAST IMPLEMENTATIONS ACROSS THE STATE, WHEN NEW THINGS ARISE, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU ADJUST, RETRAIN, AND THEN YOU PUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS UNDER YOUR UMBRELLA.
WE LEARNED WHAT NOT TO DO AND WHAT TO DO, AND SO WE'VE SEEN QUITE A BIT AND WE'VE HAD ALMOST 15 MILLION CASES TO DATE, BUT YEAH, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LEARNING. WE HAVE A FULL CLINICAL TEAM THAT HELPS SHAPE THEM, TRAIN OUR TEAM TO UPDATE THEM ON VARIOUS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS IT RELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH AS A WHOLE. SO CONSTANTLY BEING AWARE OF NEW CERTIFICATIONS, NEW WAYS OF HANDLING CASES.
SO IT'S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I'M ASSUMING YOU HAVE HAD TO ADJUST AND DEAL WITH THE COVID IMPACT OF OUR CHILDREN.
SO YOUR STAFF HAS I MEAN, MAYBE ALL OF IT FALLS IN ALL THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT YOU'RE SEEING A LOT AS A RESULT OF COVID.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT I'M DEALING WITH, IS KEEPING UP WITH THE CAPACITY IN THE NEEDS DUE TO COVID, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE HAVE, IS STAYING TRUE TO ALL OF THAT.
WELL, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I SAID I DIDN'T HAVE ONE, BUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS OUR SIZE, SOME OF THE ONES YOU TALKED ABOUT, DESOTO AND CEDAR HILL AS AN EXAMPLE.
YEAH, YEAH, BUT OUR SIZE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU THAT WILL KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AND SERVICE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
YES, MA'AM, SO WE HAVE 137 SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT ARE ABOVE 40,000 STUDENTS.
OUR LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IS CLARK COUNTY IN LAS VEGAS, WHICH IS 320,000 STUDENTS.
APPRECIATE IT. OKAY, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO ASK.
I KNOW LAST SPRING THAT WE HAD A PRESENTATION AND WE APPROVED A MENTAL HEALTH GROUP.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS CAME FORWARD TO US IN MAY WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, ALONG WITH THAT OTHER PROGRAM , AND AFTER LOOKING AT THAT, I'M KIND OF CONCERNED THAT WHAT GOOD ARE WE GETTING OUT OF THE OTHER PROGRAM COMPARED TO WHAT THESE FOLKS OFFER AND DO WE NEED TO SWITCH AND GO CANCEL THE OTHER PROGRAM AND STAY WITH THIS OR WHATEVER BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] TWO PROGRAMS. SO, THE GOAL IS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY BECAUSE IT'S TWO DIFFERENT SERVICES AND I CAN PROVIDE IN THE BOARD INSIGHTS THIS WEEK INFORMATION ABOUT HAZEL AND THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE USAGE SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE THE DATA, BUT HAZEL HEALTH PROVIDES TELEHEALTH COUNSELING TO STUDENTS, AND SO STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HAZEL HEALTH FROM 7 A.M.
TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH A COUNSELOR AS NEEDED.
WHEREAS, THIS WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES, NOT JUST FOR COUNSELING.
[02:00:07]
REPEAT STUDENTS WHO ARE HAVING THE NEED FOR PSYCHIATRIC CARE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IT GOES BEYOND JUST EVERY DAY COUNSELING NEEDS AND HAZEL HEALTH PROVIDES STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH, I GUESS, THE ACCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CHILD HAS ACCESS TO A COUNSELOR, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE GROWING AMOUNT OF STUDENTS WHO NEED.SO BUT THIS PROVIDES THE COUNSELORS WITH ACCESS TO MORE PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO REFER FOR LONG TERM COUNSELING, BUT ALSO FOR CRISIS AND PSYCHIATRIC CARE, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ACCESS.
IT ALSO PROVIDES THE DATABASE AND THAT CARE COORDINATION SERVICES, WHICH PROVIDES MORE.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, SO THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
IT WOULD JUST COMPLEMENT AND PRETTY MUCH PROVIDE A HOLISTIC MENTAL HEALTH PLAN.
WELL, LET ME GO A LITTLE BIT STEP FURTHER, DR.
LOPEZ, BEFORE YOU INTERJECT HERE, BECAUSE IN THE RED FOLDER TODAY WE RECEIVED IT HAS THE UPDATE AND WHAT THE INITIAL COST IS GOING TO BE FOR THIS, WHICH IS A ONE YEAR WITH A FOUR YEAR OPTION, A RENEWAL, AND IT'S THROUGH ESSER FUNDS, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, THOSE ESSER FUNDS RUN OUT BEFORE THIS PROGRAM WOULD REALLY GO AWAY AND WHERE WOULD THAT FUNDING THEN COME FROM? COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IN REGARDS TO THE ESSER FUNDS AND THEN GOING OUT SINCE THIS WAS ORIGINALLY BUDGETED, WE HAVE THE FUNDS.
IF THAT'S THE CASE AND I'M SPEAKING, I KNOW MR. BOOKER CAN SPEAK TO THAT, THAT WAS DESIGNATED FOR THIS, AND I THINK LONG TERM I WOULD SAY THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD LOOK INTO, BUT IN THE IMMEDIATE NEED AS FAR AS WHAT WE'VE COME THROUGH, LIKE WAS MENTIONED ABOUT COVID AND US SEEING WHETHER OR NOT THIS WORKS FOR OUR DISTRICT AND OUR FAMILIES, I THINK THE FUNDS THAT WERE ALREADY PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED THROUGH ESSER WOULD BENEFIT US OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD WITH AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN REALLOCATE THE COST OF.
THIS IS DEFINITELY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE INVESTMENT BASED ON THE NEEDS AS FAR AS THE SERVICE AND THE ACCESS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CONSIDER AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO OTHER SOURCES, BUT THE ESSER FUNDS WERE ALREADY PREVIOUSLY ALLOCATED AND SO THEY'RE THERE TO BE USED AND I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO SEE. SO, WHERE IS THE AVENUE FOR PARENTS, THE LANE THAT THEY GO DOWN TO REFER TO CARE SOLACE. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THROUGH OUR COUNSELORS THAT HAVE THE PHONE NUMBERS, I GUESS.
I MEAN, WOULD THAT BE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION SAYING, OKAY, HERE'S A LIST, GO AHEAD, CALL THESE NUMBERS OR YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE ON YOUR COMPUTER OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, AND HERE'S SOME AREAS.
SO THAT REMOVES THE BARRIER, AND SO I THINK CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, IF A FAMILY IF A CHILD NEEDS ACCESS TO CARE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO COME THROUGH THE COUNSELOR TO GET THAT ACCESS, AND OFTEN OUR PARENTS KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT THEY NEED IN A LOT OF CASES FOR THEIR CHILDREN OR THEY WANT THE ACCESS OR THEY'RE SEARCHING OUR WEBSITE ON OUR DISTRICT'S WEBSITE FOR RESOURCES, AND THEY'RE COLD CALLING DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO FIND A PLACE.
WHEREAS THIS REMOVES THE COUNSELOR FROM BEING A BARRIER OF THE ONE SHEET, BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE HAVE A RESOURCE SHEET THAT COUNSELORS PROVIDE TO FAMILIES, OR THEY CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE, BUT THIS NOT ONLY.
PROVIDES MORE THAN JUST THE LIST OF 18 LOCAL PROVIDERS THAT WE HAVE.
IT REALLY EXPANDS OUR REACH AND IT GIVES THE FAMILIES A LITTLE BIT MORE OWNERSHIP IN BEING ABLE TO SEARCH FOR A PROVIDER ANONYMOUSLY, WHICH IS WHAT OFTENTIMES DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM REACHING OUT TO A COUNSELOR FOR HELP.
OFTENTIMES WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON, A COUNSELOR KNOWS AND IS ABLE TO HELP, BUT THIS WOULD JUST REALLY EXPAND THE REACH AND EXPAND ACCESS TO FAMILIES WHO WOULD LIKE TO PRIVATELY SEEK THOSE THINGS, AND SO IS THIS A PROGRAM WHERE CARE SOLACE IS GOING TO TRAIN OUR COUNSELORS? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE ONE WHERE, HEY, HERE WE GO.
HERE'S YOUR LIST OF PEOPLE JUST GET AFTER.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, WHAT IS CARE SOLACE? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THESE OTHER PROVIDERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE TAUGHT, JUST LIKE WE'RE LEARNING RIGHT HERE TODAY OF WHAT THE NEEDS ARE SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DIRECT THOSE CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS TO THE RIGHT LOCATION? ABSOLUTELY. OUR COUNSELORS WILL RECEIVE TRAINING AND THEY WE PROVIDE MONTHLY TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO COUNSELORS EVERY SINGLE MONTH ON DIVERSE TOPICS.
IN ADDITION, THEY'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE THE RESULTS AND BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ABOUT FUTURE PARENT MEETINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE PREVENTION BASED THINGS, AND I'LL LET CHAD KIND OF SHARE.
[02:05:01]
YEAH, IT'S A 30 MINUTE TRAINING, SIR.SO FOR A DISTRICT OF THIS SIZE, IT'S TYPICALLY FIVE OR SIX 30-MINUTE SESSIONS, AND THEY'RE TRAINED ON HOW TO DO A REFERRAL FOR A FAMILY AND A STUDENT THAT'S IN NEED OF SERVICES. OKAY, VERY GOOD.
YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTION FROM OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS? JUST REAL QUICK, I WANTED TO EXPAND ON ONE OF THE QUESTIONS YOU HAD, WHICH WAS A REAL GOOD ONE, THE HAZEL HEALTH, AND THEN THIS ONE, THE WAY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, JUST SIMPLY I JUST WANT TO WHENEVER YOU HAVE LIKE A COLD OR YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A SINUS INFECTION, YOU CAN GO TO A CLINIC.
RIGHT, BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING CHRONIC, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO A CLINIC.
THEY'RE GOING TO REFER YOU TO A SPECIALIST, AND THAT'S THE REAL DIFFERENCE.
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH US IN OUR DISTRICT IS OUR COUNSELORS DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO FOLLOW THROUGH.
THAT'S THE KEY. WHEN YOU SEE THAT SERVICE PROVIDER OVER THERE AND THIS IS WHAT SOLD ME ON THIS PRODUCT, THERE'S SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THE CONNECTION IS THERE. THEY DON'T GET IGNORED.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE FEELING AND I'M GOING TO USE DEPRESSION BECAUSE I WAS UP THERE AND YOU FEEL NO ONE CARES, AND THEN NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LEAVING MESSAGES AND NOBODY'S CALLING BACK. IT'S HARD TO BE RESILIENT, RIGHT? IT JUST AFFIRMS EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT OF, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO SEE THINGS THROUGH AND THAT'S THEIR SOLE JOB, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL? MS. STANLEY. WHY SCHOOLS? IF YOU'RE ABLE TO FIND COUNSELORS THAT WON'T TAKE ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THEY'LL TAKE YOUR REFERRALS.
WHY DON'T YOU GO TO MORE THAN JUST SCHOOLS? I MEAN YOU SOLVED WORLD HUNGER HERE.
YEAH, THAT'S IN THE PLANS, MA'AM.
I MEAN, WE HAD TO START SOMEWHERE, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE US ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE COMMUNITY, SO WE WANTED TO START WITH THAT FIRST, DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN BE AN IMPACTFUL SERVICE AND NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE STARTING TO MOVE INTO CITIES AND EMPLOYERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT GRADUALLY, BUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAS BEEN KIND OF THE GO TO BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE HIT WITH, NOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE BEST FUNDING IS.
NO, I MEAN, THE FUNDING HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE FOR CARE SOLACE.
I MEAN, PEOPLE HAVE JUST BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES, THEY FIND THE FUNDS.
IT'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE FOR US.
NO ONE'S EVER SAID TO DATE IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT, HEY, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THIS.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, HEY, WE NEED THIS, AND WE'LL FIND A WAY TO FUND IT, AND IT'S TYPICALLY FROM MEDICAID DOLLARS ESSER FUNDS TITLE ONE, TITLE FOUR TITLE NINE BUCKETS, OPIATE SETTLEMENT FUNDS, SAMHSA, OPIATE FUNDS, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THE ONE THING THAT JUST KEEPS JUMPING OUT AT ME, AND I DID DO SOME RESEARCH AND I STILL HAVE SOME MORE TO DO IS THAT THERE'S NO THERE'S STILL NO PROOF OR GUARANTEE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY SEEING SOMEONE.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS AND I UNDERSTAND ONE PIECE OF IT BECAUSE BECAUSE THERE IS BARRIERS IN BEING OVERWHELMED AND FINDING THOSE PROFESSIONALS.
SO WHERE DO WE SEE THAT THEY'RE TRULY ACTUALLY GETTING AN APPOINTMENT AND NOT A TELECONFERENCE APPOINTMENT, BUT AN ACTUAL IN-PERSON APPOINTMENT THAT IS ONGOING? YEAH, A GREAT QUESTION.
I'M GOING TO IF I CAN GET INTERNET ACCESS, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS IS WHAT THE DATABASE HAS.
SO EVERY SINGLE CASE THAT COMES THROUGH CARE SOLACE, WE HAVE A FULL, REAL TIME ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM ON WHETHER THEY HAVE RECEIVED AN APPOINTMENT WHICH PROVIDERS THEY RECEIVED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DATE AND TIME OF APPOINTMENT, WHETHER THEY SHOWED UP FOR THE APPOINTMENT AND WHETHER THEY'RE HAPPY WITH THE APPOINTMENT AND WHETHER THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ONGOING SERVICES.
EVERY SINGLE CASE HAS A FULL ACCOUNTABILITY ATTACHED TO IT OF WHERE, WHEN, WHAT TIME DID THEY SHOW UP AND ARE THEY HAPPY AND DO THEY NEED ONGOING SERVICES? AND IS THAT PROVIDED IN A SUMMARY? BECAUSE IF I DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS, I DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO REVIEW THIS.
YEAH, IT'S ROLLED UP INTO OUR IMPACT REPORT.
THE ONLY PART THAT I'M NOT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHO ACTUALLY MAKES THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE PROVIDER.
IS IT YOU? IS IT THE SCHOOL? IS IT THE INDIVIDUAL? YEAH, IT'S US MAKING EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT FOR FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES.
[02:10:03]
LIKE A CONCIERGE AT A HOTEL.WE'LL HANDLE EVERYTHING. YOU JUST SIT BACK AND I GOT YOUR BACK.
THE OTHER PATHWAY IS PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND STAFF DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYBODY.
THEY JUST WANT TO DO IT THEMSELVES.
THE THIRD WAY IS A COUNSELOR THAT SENDS US A STUDENT THAT NEEDS SERVICES IN DALLAS COUNTY, SENDS US THAT CASE, THAT STUDENT, AND THEN OUR TEAM FACILITATES AND EXPEDITES THE ACCESS ON BEHALF OF THAT FAMILY, THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND THE STUDENT RIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OF SUPPORTS.
BECAUSE WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THE MOST DIFFICULT IS JUST TO GET THE FIRST APPOINTMENT.
IT IS, AND YOU'VE SOLVED THAT PROBLEM.
WE SOLVED IT. YEAH, AND JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR HERE IN THIS 75042 ZIP CODE AND ALL THE ZIP CODES IN THIS GARLAND COMMUNITY, WE HAVE 476 ADDITIONAL PROVIDERS THAT WE'RE PLUGGING INTO HER 18 IN ADDITION, WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS AND THEN WITHIN A 15 MILE RADIUS, WE HAVE 3700 16 ADDITIONAL ACCESS POINTS WITHIN THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MR. MILLER. YEAH, JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
IS THERE A POINT IN THIS PROCESS AFTER THE INTRODUCTION IS MADE, MAYBE THE FIRST VISIT THAT THE FAMILY OR THE PARENT BECOMES RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE FOLLOW UP, OR DOES IT CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH YOU THE WHOLE WAY? MAN, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO WE'RE NOT A ONE AND DONE SERVICE.
SO AS LONG AS WE'RE UNDER THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE LIFE OF THAT STUDENT OR THAT FAMILY MEMBER THAT NEEDS SUPPORTS, WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE TO HANDHOLD THEM THROUGH THE LIFE OF THEIR CARE, MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. GRIFFIN. YES, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT.
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AS WE ADD PROGRAMS THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE YEAR AFTER YEAR , BUT IN THIS SITUATION, AS STAFF AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM LOOKED AT THINGS, MONIES WAS ALLOCATED FOR THAT BASED ON WHAT THEY WERE SEEING INTERNALLY WITH THE ISSUES THAT OUR COUNSELORS WERE DEALING WITH.
IF WE HAVE AND THE MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR THE TWO YEARS, WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK AT WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH YEAR THREE AND FOUR, AND MY OTHER COMMENT IS, SO IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, WE'VE HEARD THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE SCHOOL OPENED IN AUGUST.
SO WHAT DO WE DO IN THE INTERIM? SO IF THERE'S NOT A SUBSTITUTE, WHAT DO WE DO? AND HAZEL HEALTH WAS BROUGHT IN INITIALLY NOT FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
HAZEL HEALTH WAS BROUGHT IN TO HELP PARENTS AND SICK KIDS IN SCHOOL GET INSTANT ATTENTION AND BASICALLY RELIEF, AND IT WAS STATED THAT IS, COUNSELORS WERE AVAILABLE, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL REASON WE BROUGHT IN HAZEL HEALTH. WE WERE TRYING TO STOP KIDS FROM MISSING SCHOOL, PARENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO GET UP TO THINGS THAT THEY WILL OPT IN TO SAY THAT WE CAN TALK TO A PHYSICIAN OR NURSE IMMEDIATELY ON THE PHONE.
SO I AM JUST SAYING, WHAT'S OUR ALTERNATIVE IF WE DON'T START SOMEWHERE? THANK YOU. WELL, ONE THING ABOUT IT, I THINK WHAT YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IS THAT THIS IS UNCHARTED WATER FOR ALL OF US.
I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT MENTAL HEALTH AND HAS BEEN IGNORED OVER THE YEARS, MANY, MANY YEARS AND HAS COME TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF IT, AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO TAKE A STAND, LIKE YOU SAID, AND I THINK THAT I PERSONALLY FELT THAT HAZEL HEALTH WAS GOING TO BE THE ANSWER WHEN I VOTED FOR THAT, AND I HAD A HARD TIME WHEN I VOTED AGAINST THE OTHER ONE.
[02:15:08]
IT IS A GOOD, GOOD PROGRAM.SO I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT, BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, MS. STANLEY. I'M STRUGGLING.
WHY YOU DON'T HAND IT BACK OFF TO THE FAMILY? WHY DO YOU KEEP CONTROL OF IT FOR SO LONG? YEAH, WE LEAVE IT UP TO THE FAMILY.
SO WE JUST SEND THEM THE LINK, THEY CLICK AND THEY ACCESS SERVICES ON THEIR OWN.
I KNOW, BUT YOU SAID THAT IF YOU SET IT UP THE FIRST TIME, YOU'LL SET IT UP GOING FORWARD.
BUT NOW WE'RE JUST CREATING ANOTHER DEPENDENCY AND NO OWNERSHIP.
I MEAN, AT WHAT POINT AND THEN IF WE DON'T UP THIS, THEN WE'VE LEFT THEM HANGING IN THE GREASE.
SO I STRUGGLE WITH THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE.
WE CAN GIVE TOOLS, BUT YOUR PROGRAM IS TAKING IT AND NEVER LETTING THEM GO IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO GO THAT WAY, AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE MENTALLY HEALTH UNHEALTHY PEOPLE REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY YES OR NO ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE READY TO TAKE THAT, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE CONTROL ISSUES. WELL, I MEAN, I'M LIVING PROOF.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT BEING HOMELESS DUE TO THE DISEASE OF MENTAL HEALTH WITH SUICIDAL IDEATION AND DRUG ABUSE THAT PUT ME INTO HOMELESSNESS, I'M JUST GLAD THAT SOMEBODY WAS THERE TO HANDHOLD ME THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND GET ME INTO SERVICES.
IF THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE OWNERSHIP, I WOULDN'T BE SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, BUT IF YOU DON'T TAKE OWNERSHIP, AT SOME POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO END UP IN OUR JAILS.
I GET IT, AND I THINK THE KEY WAS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE THAT I RECEIVED, AND THEN ONCE I GOT OUT AND GRADUATED FROM THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, THEN I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF GET STABILIZED AND FIGURE MY LIFE OUT FROM THERE, AND I STILL GO TO THERAPY TO THIS DAY ON A WEEK TO WEEK BASIS.
IT'S PART OF MY MAINTENANCE, SO ANYWAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM 6C CONTRACT 397-23 CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE AND MATERIALS FOR CTE.
CHAIRMAN BEACH BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SO INSTEAD OF SENDING OUR KIDS OUT AND FIELD TRIPS AND THE THINGS WE NORMALLY DO, THIS IS TO BRIDGE A GAP TO START BRINGING THE INDUSTRY INTO THE CLASSROOM, GET MORE DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP, PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT SPOTS, AND THAT WAY THEY CAN BUILD ON THEIR EXPERIENCES.
ALSO, THIS IS COMING HEAVILY REQUESTED FROM THE TECHS BECAUSE EACH MONTH THE P-TECH PROGRAMS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE WORK BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO THIS GIVES A QUICK AND EASY SOLUTION TO THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, RENEWAL BID CONTRACT A 122-20.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF WEB DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, HOSTING AND RELATED SERVICES [INAUDIBLE] AND THAT'LL BE MR. BOOKER. YES, SIR, THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU IS WEB DESIGN FOR OUR SCHOOL WEBSITES.
YOU'LL NOTICE THAT 37% OF THAT IS GOING TO BE PAID OUT OF THE CURTIS CULWELL CENTER.
THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT IS $240,000 FOR THE WEB DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND HOSTING OF THOSE SERVICES.
OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE COMMITTEE? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM B CONTRACT 363-21 CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PURCHASE OF PROPERTY INSURANCE.
MR. BOOKER. I KNOW ABOUT THIS ONE.
YES, SIR, THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU IS WITH MCGRIFF, SEIBELS AND WILLIAMS OF TEXAS.
THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT IS $4 MILLION.
THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT IS $4 MILLION.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ANY QUESTION? JUST CLARITY. YOU SAID PROPERTY TAXES, BUT YOU MEANT PROPERTY VALUES.
[02:20:02]
CORRECT. INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES, NOT PROPERTY TAXES.YES, SIR. WE'RE NOT PAYING TAX.
YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, INCREASE TO AWARD BIDS.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AN INCREASE IN AWARDED AMOUNT FOR GENERAL MERCHANDISE, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES.
YES, SIR. THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU IS AWARDED VENDOR IS LOWE'S HOME CENTERS.
THE ORIGINAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT IS $100,000.
WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED IS AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 TO COMPLETE THIS YEAR BASED ON ADDITIONAL NEEDS.
ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO B CONTRACT 68-22.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF INCREASE IN AWARDED AMOUNTS FOR STUDENT EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL SERVICES.
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS PUT IN PLACE WITH A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $74,999.
SO THE NEW NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT IS BEING RECOMMENDED TO 500,000.
ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. MR. JOHNSON, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. MR. BOOKER, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSIDERED VIEWING IT ABOUT A 400% INCREASE OVER THAT.
IS THIS SOLELY DUE TO THE AUSTIN ACADEMY TRIP TO THE MIDWEST CLINIC? I THINK IT RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR US TO HAVE A TRAVEL AGENTS TO HANDLE THOSE KIND OF SERVICES IN THE FUTURE FOR THOSE BANDS OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED TO HAVE THAT KIND OF SERVICE PROVIDED.
THE BEST OF MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE HIGH SCHOOLS, WHEN THEY BOOK TRAVEL, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN USING SOME TRAVEL AGENTS SIMILAR TO THIS TO DO THAT, AND THAT COMES FROM THEIR INDIVIDUAL BAND BUDGETS.
ARE WE LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE THAT AND THE DISTRICT IS NOW GOING TO BE ASSUMING THAT TYPE OF THING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL? OR IS THIS JUST AGAIN, I'M JUST STRUGGLING WITH WHY THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SHIFT IN PHILOSOPHY AND HOW WE'RE DEALING WITH BAND TRAVEL, AND I'M GOING TO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THIS.
WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO STEP UP? WHILE THEY ARE COMING, ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT BAND HERE? SO IT WOULD BE ALL OF OUR MUSICAL PERFORMING ARTS.
SO ALL OF THIS IS FINE ARTS? YES. JUST FINE ARTS.
YEAH, THE TRAVEL AGENCY IS MUSIC FESTIVAL ENTERPRISE.
I SAW THAT. YES, MUSIC FESTIVAL ENTERPRISES.
YES. SO I OUTREACHED TO MR. FIGARELLI. THE INITIAL INCREASE, NOT THE FULL AMOUNT, IS DUE TO THE AUSTIN JAZZ BAND BEING INVITED TO ATTEND THE CHICAGO MIDWEST INTERNATIONAL BAND ORCHESTRA CONFERENCE DECEMBER 19TH THROUGH 2022, BUT SEEING THAT MANY OF OUR BANDS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE ARE RECEIVING INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO TRAVEL, THEN THE FINE ARTS IS REQUESTING THAT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE REQUESTS IN A TIMELY MANNER, THAT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO THE BUDGET SPENDING ALLOWANCE SO THAT THOSE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE WITHOUT COMING BACK BEFORE THE BOARD TO REQUEST CONTINUED INCREASES AS OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRESENTED.
OKAY, SO MR. FIGARELLI IS REQUESTING THIS, BUT, AGAIN, WE ALREADY HAVE BAND TRIPS.
BAND TRIPS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND, UNIVERSALLY-USED TRAVEL AGENCIES, I BELIEVE THIS TRAVEL AGENCY IN PARTICULAR HANDLES MOST OF THEM. THEY WERE CERTAINLY WELL ADVERTISED AT THE BOA, SAN ANTONIO THAT I JUST ACTUALLY CAME BACK FROM.
SO I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING ARE WE CHANGING HOW WE'RE DOING IT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL? I UNDERSTAND THE AUSTIN SITUATION--THAT, I GET--BUT WE COULD ALSO JUST APPROVE THE FUNDS FOR AUSTIN TO GO TO CHICAGO WITHOUT DOING THIS AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M ADVERSE TO IT, BUT I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE FUTURE.
ARE THE INDIVIDUAL BANDS NO LONGER GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RAISING THE FUNDS TO BOOK BAND TRIPS OR IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GOING TO BE ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT? BECAUSE IF WE'RE APPROVING A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THIS AGENCY ON THIS KIND OF AMORPHOUS, HEY, WE MIGHT WANT TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE, THEN I WOULD PRESUME THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, DR.
[02:25:05]
LOPEZ? SO I WANT TO GET CONCRETE ANALYSIS FROM JOE FIGARELLI ON THAT.HONESTLY, LOOKING AT THE TRAVEL THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I FEEL THE INTENT IS FOR FUTURE BIG INVITATIONS RATHER THAN COMING TO THE BOARD AND WAITING FOR APPROVAL.
IT'S EASIER TO HAVE A NOT TO EXCEED ALLOWANCE EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. RIGHT.
SO THIS IS MORE FOR INVITATIONALS, IN MY OPINION, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MR. FIGARELLI. HE FEELS THAT WE'RE CATCHING A LOT OF MOMENTUM AND THAT HE WANTS TO SHOWCASE OUR FINE ARTS PROGRAMS. I MEAN, THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB AT THE MAVERICKS GAME JUST THE OTHER DAY, AND THAT WAS THE GARLAND CHOIR AND SO THOSE TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES I FEEL OUTSIDE OF OUR AREA, HE WANTS TO CAPITALIZE ON US AND REALLY PUT A MARK ON FINE ARTS ACROSS THE NATION, BUT IF IT'S CUMBERSOME WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ALLOTMENT AND THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IF ONE OF OUR BANDS, SAY LAKEVIEW GETS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN LIKE THE FIESTA BOWL PARADE OR SOMETHING, THIS WOULD GO TOWARDS THAT BECAUSE IT WASN'T SOMETHING THEY WERE THE PLAN MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT KIND OF HAPPENS RELATIVELY QUICK, AND WHAT WE CAN DO IS GET CLARIFICATION.
OKAY, THANKS. MR. BEACH, JUST ADDING ONTO WHAT PRESIDENT JOHNSON SAID, THEY CAME UP WITH A FIGURE BECAUSE IN THE BACK OF THEIR HEADS THEY HAD SOME OPPORTUNITIES OF INVITATIONAL THINGS.
SO IT MIGHT BE THAT IF YOU WOULD JUST SAY INVITATIONAL AND HERE ARE SOME POSSIBILITIES THAT WE MAY BE CONSIDERING AND THAT MAY PROVIDE THE DETAIL THAT'S NEEDED.
THANK YOU. ITEM C CONTRACT 325-22.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF INCREASE IN AWARDED AMOUNT FOR TESTING AND ASSESSMENT.
YES, SIR, THIS CONTRACT HAS BEEN AWARDED TO NCS PEARSON FOR AN ORIGINAL AMOUNT OF $74,999.
THE INCREASED AMOUNT IS $150,000, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE NEW NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT $224,999.
ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MA'AM, MS. STANLEY? WHAT ADDITIONAL TESTING ARE WE FINDING THAT WE NEED? THESE ARE THE STANDARD PROTOCOLS THAT WE USE FOR ASSESSING OUR STUDENTS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS UNDER [INAUDIBLE].
SO TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY.
SO IT'S FOR OUR DIAGNOSTICIANS IS THE TESTING.
MS. GRIFFIN. YES, SO IN THAT, CAN WE BE MORE SPECIFIC IN THE DESCRIPTION OR DID I MISS IT? I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE MEMO.
THE EVALUATION MATERIALS USED TO EVALUATE STUDENTS AND DETERMINE DISABILITY CRITERIA TO ASSIST THE IEP COMMITTEE IN DETERMINING EDUCATIONAL NEED AND SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED, AND SO IN THE MATERIAL SERVICE--BUT WHEN WE VOTE ON THINGS IT'S BASED ON THE AGENDA ITEM TITLE THAT'S LISTED, AND I'M JUST ASKING FOR CLARITY.
SO IF IT WAS THERE, I THINK IT WOULD HELP US.
PUT IT IN THE AGENDA LINE ITEM.
WELL, YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS SIX PAGES BEHIND IT, RIGHT? YES. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
DR. LOPEZ, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO, SIR. THEN WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, ADJOURNMENT.
[VI. Adjournment]
DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SO MOVED, WE ARE ADJOURNED; IT'S 5:29.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.