City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Mayor's Blue Ribbon COVID Response Task Force Committee, 4 Oct 2022

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: 10.4.2022 COVID Response Task Force

Description

10.4.2022 COVID Response Task Force

A

Kevin uh we're good to go. Yep you've been given the green light. All right so uh call to order.

A

um Like to uh get a motion on the floor for approve of the minutes of 9 20.,.

A

Motion please anyone.

B

Read it thank you, molly. Second, okay, right who's, taking minutes.

C

uh Cameron are you able to take minutes.

A

The bare bones share: bones: they're, what that's all we need? Okay, so molly uh made the motion and.

A

Linda seconded uh all this in favor, please say hi hi any assumptions or nays. Thank you.

A

All right we're gonna go right into it, so we're gonna have kim mcnamara um health officer for the.

A

City of portsmouth come back to us and give us an update on the community health assessment back up.

D

Can I be heard clearly with this master? Yes, just make sure.

E

You're as close to that microphone as possible, yes, ma'am. Thank you. Okay,.

D

Profile we've run into some glitches, uh so an rfp was posted on august 10th and uh responses.

D

Were due by the 30th and we actually closed it on the 9th without any successful candidates.

D

We only got two one was over budget and the other one was um significantly significantly.

D

Focused on senior health care issues, you know they're from that industry and and that's what.

D

Their forte was, and it would have eaten up a huge part of our budget for travel, because.

D

They were out of the state quite far away, so we've come back to the drawing board.

D

And um there is a recent service area needs assessment. I think you all might have actually.

D

Gotten a copy of it, goodwin health put this out well greater seacoast community health.

D

Put this out, it has a lot of good information in it and some of the demographics that we're.

D

Also interested in, but I did want to point out that there's a little bit of difference.

D

Between a health care system, community health profile needs assessment and a community health.

D

What we're looking at overlaps, much of what they've been looking at, but we're really.

D

Looking at factors in our environment that can be taken, action on by municipalities and by service.

D

Organizations such as yourself, you know to to use the the information to go after funding.

D

Or for whatever other changes need to happen, so could I have the next slide please, karen.

F

Here we go. Thank you, uh so we're breaking this down into three manageable phases, because the.

D

Feedback we got from the people who didn't apply, but who know new hampshire very well is that they.

D

Don't have the bandwidth with either staffing or with time right now to do the whole thing.

D

However, a few did say: if, if it's broken down into smaller pieces, we might be able to pick.

D

Up one or two of the pieces, and so that's what we looked at, I'm working with our contractor, dr.

D

Tori jennison, some of you may know who she is she's very knowledgeable about public health.

D

In new hampshire and she- and I have been going through this together- to figure out what is the.

D

Most effective way and efficient way of doing this, and this is what it seems like the uh demographic.

D

And community health, prof data profile or phase one will really be having a contractor look at.

D

The data sources that are existing they're just going after the demographics that explain and.

D

Describe portsmouth residents, and so we get an understanding from the of the overall community.

D

And we'll get more into what they look at in just a minute and then phase two is the community.

D

Health needs assessment, which is we look at the environment and the health, and this is where our.

D

Social determinants of health come in so that we can understand the risks and related disparities.

D

That exist and, of course, phase three is the community health improvement plan and using.

D

The information gathered through the first two and with heavy stakeholder input, we will develop.

D

A community health improvement plan with an equity and inclusion lens, and this can guide investments.

D

And interventions, including non-monetary items such as policy or legislative recommendations,.

D

um We're also looking at how much we can do in-house. We do have some talent in-house.

D

Although it's well hidden sometimes, but but we might be able to take on a chunk of this and and.

D

Relieve that worry next slide, please karen so in during phase one. These are just some.

D

Examples of demographics and health data that we've already identified to look at and there's.

D

Quite a few more than this, but I wanted to give you an example of what we're talking about so.

D

For demographics, things like age, education, income levels, foreign-born residents, persons.

D

With disabilities, what are population growth trends are race and ethnicity, and migration.

D

And then helped out as the the standard ones that you look at and we have most of these health. We we.

D

Have a set of health data from the 2007 regional study? Well, that was five or six towns and we might.

D

Need to use five or six pounds again because of the the sparsity of data, or it might not be.

D

On that granular level, or it might reveal too much, and so if you have only so many cases of.

D

Something you don't want anybody identified, and so you might combine it with a region.

D

And get more information that way you know there are also things added to this: like suicides gun.

D

Violence, uh domestic abuse, overdose, deaths, hunger. You know the things that we talk about and are.

D

Concerned about so it's pretty broad read the next slide. Please excuse me: we have access to like the.

G

Paper that you have a copy of that to this study, this a little more um well, I can, I can provide you.

D

Access with anything I have, but I'm just reading the slides okay, we can email this afterwards, just.

D

So the community engagement strategies should include, but they're not limited to these groups.

D

These are groups that we initially just identified, that we know that this is our.

D

Vulnerable population, we know the emphasis of arpa funding to you know some portion of it.

D

Is on public health disparities, so these are the groups that we have included in what we.

D

Want statistics for and what we want to look at. However, there are going to be other groups that.

D

Are identified through the stakeholder meetings through the phase two and phase three process.

D

And if anybody feels that there's a group left out, please email me I'd love, nothing.

D

More than to add that to our list, because it's important um and the next slide please karen.

D

And then the community health improvement plan. um This is where we really get into the social.

D

Determinants of health, when we're looking at that, you know we're worried about where people are born.

D

Live grow up all these things they're listed here: education, neighborhood and environment.

D

Healthcare, economic stability and social and community context really heavily influence.

D

People's health, and and this is where the equity piece comes in- and the inclusion inclusion piece.

D

You know we want to look at everything with a lens through through these items, but we're.

D

Really focusing on who we identify as our vulnerable populations. With this in mind,.

D

So, um as I mentioned before, some of the outcomes may be policy or legislative recommendations to.

D

This, sometimes by just changing how we do things is more important than you know. If we have a.

D

Certain amount of money attached to it, so there are some non-monetary recommendations. I assume.

D

Will come out of this, so that is where we are currently um and I'm happy to answer any questions.

A

Questions so, given that there wasn't a company that can perform this task within the budget,.

C

How did that impact your timeline with your x expected timeline, I should say: well, we tried to.

D

Shorten the timeline to fit with this tasks, force timeline, so that we could give you the information.

D

And you could, you know, digest it and develop recommendations yep, uh but there's no one that.

D

Says that they could could have done it in the six months time, except for one inappropriate company.

D

And so we're going to have to extend that whether or not we're doing it this way or if we were to.

D

Go back out for another rfp. What we're hearing from our vendors is that look. We can do this.

D

Small piece of it you know, and so if we divide it up in chunks, I think the timeline is going to be.

D

Actually shorter than if we try to go with another rfp, because we can be doing work on phase two.

D

While they're crunching the numbers somewhere, because the data that is going to be developed.

D

For the profile is common data that everybody has access to, so you know there's nothing special.

D

About going to the state website and pulling stuff off, there's something a little more.

D

Special about analyzing it, but so we're going to try to get it done in a reasonable amount of time.

D

But the most important thing is that it's quality and that it really tells us from local input where.

D

We need to go with public health in the future just to follow up on laurie's question, because I I.

A

Think that, obviously we want to create a situation where you're feeding us as much information. So.

A

That we can have a really good conversation and make recommendations to the city council.

A

um But I think that you know the timing is the timing in terms of getting the profile.

A

Done and and so forth um is not aligned with our timeline now, so the question is.

A

um If we get to december- uh and we have to make recommendations- I mean we can always ask for an.

A

Extension question is: if we do that, based on where you are with your with your process, what.

A

I'm wrestling with that because, because I I don't know where we're going to be in december.

A

And it may be that you may be significantly out in terms of getting the the assessment.

A

Done and so on and so forth. um Well, one of the things that is difficult for people is the final.

D

Report. Writing. You know some people wanted two months to do that. Polished final report.

D

We're going to learn an awful lot between now and december about our vulnerable populations.

D

um Just by the work that we're already starting to do is we're just going to be breaking it down.

D

So I think that by december, if we don't have a good chunk of good information for.

D

You karen's gonna not be happy with the health department; no, no! No! No! No! I think.

E

I think to both your points, it would behoove this group to be patient and.

E

Get the right data and we can just provide an update to the council in a perfect world.

E

um We're we're making recommendations in the same time frame as arpa. You know, they'll hold.

E

Us in the bands for consideration of our funds, so I I'm not where I'm not worried about december and.

E

I think if we give the council the update um on where everything stands, so you're saying give the.

A

Council an update if, depending on where we are, and then if we have to ask for for additional time, we.

A

Can do so? Oh, I would have yeah yeah absolutely yeah. I would assume that the council would say.

A

Well, you know your what you're doing is really critical to all of this, so it's important to.

A

Have that absolutely yeah, they won't enforce an artificial deadline that doesn't make any sense.

E

So certainly, if that's our recommendation as a group, we're receiving information already and.

D

Some data already, and so it should be coming in at a pretty steady stream from now until december and.

D

We should be able to do quite a bit of work with that data to get it to a format. That's.

D

Clear and to you folks, and you know that's to understand the situation- we're also seeing a.

D

Lot of the same themes run throughout things: transportation, child care, living, wage, no staffing.

D

um And so those are running across the board. So if we know transportation is a common issue.

D

Maybe this group could work on transportation for all the various people that you represent.

C

I was gonna say that I think.

C

I don't think there's going to be any surprises out of the process that you're going through. I.

C

Think the vulnerable populations we know what those are. We know we've already identified, what.

C

Challenges exist and, if we think back to our last meeting where we were talking about really looking.

C

At themes, city council will want that data at that granular level, but I don't know that I don't think.

C

What you're doing is extremely important, but I don't know how impactful.

C

It really will be to this group, because we already know we just don't have the exact.

C

Specific data, but we already know what the populations are and what the challenges are.

G

Well, I was going to say, though, given what I'm assuming this program does is pretty.

G

Incredible and that you're having a contractor right who's going to work.

G

With you doing this, that's what you mentioned, that is the hope. Yeah, yes,.

G

You already know important issues in terms of everything that you just showed with us. Is that.

G

You want to really look at it in you know. Inside the you know, everything that you need to find.

G

Out to make sure that you're making the right decisions about what's most important and stuff.

G

Which I I can't imagine that we don't already know what all those issues are. We just need your.

A

Well, I I so I I think a couple of things, one, what the work that kim is doing is.

A

Important for a number of reasons, one two um to verify what we're seeing and what we're hearing.

A

um Also, I I think going back to what I mentioned earlier, that the city council probably will want.

A

To see that, I don't see them moving forward without the input of this report, I mean.

A

This report, I think, is, is important to the decision-making body for the city, because.

A

It's it's a it's a community health profile, um and so it verifies the conversations that we're having.

A

um So, for those reasons, I think that this is important now.

A

To kim's point we can continue to have our conversations our discussions, you're going.

A

To come back, you're going to continue to inform us as you learn information, so there hopefully.

A

By december you know, we are well informed and aligned and we can go to city council and say.

A

Look: we've: we've worked with with uh uh health, the health department, all along.

A

Kim has been keeping us abreast of what's what she is learning so that, yes, we may not have a study or.

A

Report to give you at them for you to give us a report at that moment, so we can then include it.

A

In our in our uh assessment, but um I think we can make it work to cameron's point one of the parts.

D

Of the um the community needs assessment is a narrative, and so in my mind, that's one of the.

D

Most important pieces and that's where we get the local information we're going to be starting on.

D

The narratives so we're going to be meeting with groups that serve certain vulnerable populations.

D

And we're going to be starting to write those, and you know, of course, it'll be as succinctly as we.

D

Can but we also want it to be accurate and such and those are going to tell us an awful lot so.

D

Those are going to begin, that's not going to have to wait for anything else. The other point nancy is.

D

I I agree that we already know the global picture, but I can tell you from when doors began, to open.

D

Again after covid, the health department found a lot of surprises as far as people who have been.

D

Left without services for a couple years, without oversight, these the state services that they used.

D

To meet with in person then went to zoom and you can't really tell as much in zoom. So we've had.

D

Some surprises- and you know, one of the surprises to me is how do people fall through the cracks so.

D

Badly, um you know, and I don't know the answer to that it. You know that's, but that's something we.

D

Should know about so that if it's constant case management that is needed in that situation, that.

D

We have that in place before the next covid comes along or the next disaster of some sort.

F

Of um oh go ahead: um will this report inform how those how the funds will be dispersed to those 13.

F

Or 14 applicants of the I'd like to thank you I'd like to clear that up a little bit so what.

D

We, what I requested was people, use a form that kind of matched sort of the arpa outline as it.

D

Unrolled they weren't technically applications, they were pieces of information and I gathered.

D

Them so that we had started this process and I got those from some of our most uh strapped providers.

D

And it's kind of a nice overall mix of different populations that we're talking about here.

D

So um so there hasn't been anything official and I actually, when this group formed, I sort.

D

Of turned all of that stuff over to you as far as a dollar amount, some people, people have you.

D

Know written out dollar amounts, but we've also had some of those agencies fold. We've also had.

D

Some of those agencies find other alternative sources of financing, which is great. Some of them.

D

Are doing programs where, for example, we have a daycare that is, is having a great struggle.

D

They're working with the high school for kids to be trained in daycare. You know services, but the.

D

Kids aren't of working age yet, and so they need a little bit of bridge. So there's all kinds of.

D

Different scenarios, but I think that I think this group has been talking about more just.

D

Saying these are our priorities. You got to look at this stuff and- and you know, don't worry about the.

D

Dollar amounts, but don't ignore them obviously, but uh I liked that conversation I thought that.

D

Was probably the most effective way to go, and, and um I I had a conversation with uh kim just prior.

A

To starting a meeting and she she's a, I know that uh some of you were asking for those uh requests.

A

um She's left the mind that we should not be sharing these because they were really.

A

Not official applications or requests, they were they're in different states of writing.

A

um And um so, for those reasons, I think that and for the reasons that karen just stated, I.

A

Think that we uh to not distribute those well, they weren't written for public release, so.

D

They're very draft and rough, but you do have the information I'd provided someone with some figures.

D

uh About you know, what's been requested so far, and that changes because of these changes that.

D

Go on in these programs, but um it's not that's just I I have provided will with a summary of.

D

What the needs were identified, and so he has that, um and that was taken from all of those.

A

um Can I scan this and share with the group, I think so I'll take a quick look at. I don't think.

D

There's anything confidential on it, but, okay is that list closed at this point? No, no. It was really.

D

For my gathering information so that I could go through my chain of command to let people know.

D

Who do you like more well, let me turning that over to you folks. Well, let me speak to that. So.

E

At the arpa work session, we pledge to develop a comprehensive running list on the website, so it.

E

Should go live either today or tomorrow, we're just working out some fine tuning, so it would.

E

Include all the departments requests, it would include requests from groups like the housing.

E

Authority- and it will also include the requests that were made at that time, and I think it would.

E

Be incumbent upon the groups to confirm whether those are still valid and and it will be archived.

E

In such a way that the the newest request will show up and the older ones will file down so.

E

That's it today, tomorrow, certainly end of the week exercise that'll be on the city's website.

D

If I could just add to that, so the requests that came in were all very valid and made.

D

Great points the arpa rules were not completed by the time those came in, and so whatever you.

D

Have may have to be rewritten for the arpa language, but they're all still fit under.

D

Arpa, it's just you know, that's another reason not to release him not to cause any confusion.

A

Well and get the other thing too, is that there's a bit of a misalignment between those three those.

A

Early requests and what we're talking about here now, because we're talking thematic as opposed to.

A

Individual organizational need that they may be. uh There may be space for that in there for our.

A

Recommendations for individual organizations, but I don't. I can't speak to that right now or I don't.

A

Think any of us could right right. um Ultimately, it will be the decision of the council if they use.

E

Recommendations of this group in in conjunction with specific requests exactly well, and I would.

H

Think if we go forward with our recommendations or our ideas um for what we were tasked with and.

H

Base it on the themes, then city council might say to an organization we're recommending mental.

H

Health for children- anybody have you know that need or could come up with a program. So I think.

H

Just for us not to get too bogged down in, like dollar amounts and who's asking for what it's.

F

Like looking at the themes, what are their ideas, as we collectively work together, we're the ones.

H

Working in the field and um saying this could be helpful, that could be helpful and ultimately.

H

City council will find the organizations that are requesting it or vote on it, because that's.

H

Their you know ultimate decision, but right so, as I think we could get so down the rabbit hole of that.

H

Instead of really looking at what are ideas, that's why we're here we're the ones in it every day. Yes,.

A

At the last meeting, someone had asked the question how the health department came up with the figure.

D

Of three million- and I wanted to explain that, because that is not hard. This is what we need.

D

um The opera rules when they first came out from the federal government. There were four.

D

Main uses of them, and one of those uses is public health disparities for populations that are most.

D

Affected by covet- and I just took you know, being simple: a 12 million dollars. A quarter of that is.

D

Three but my concern has been and I- and this is last time I say it- I promise you, but I don't it.

D

Would be a shame if we go through all this work and we have all these people come to the table.

D

And do the work of sharing and and digging for figures and everything, and then we don't have.

D

Any money left to do anything with, and so I would like- and I you may have recommended this- I don't.

D

Know but I would like to have a money saved for the end of this process, so then we can really.

D

Take care of the vulnerable populations that we're charged with.

A

Question what falls under public health so, like does transportation fall on public health.

A

Well, it could it's it. It depends on, if you're having public health issues for people, because.

D

Of transportation so, like we don't generally fix transportation issues, we bring it to the attention.

D

Of people who are better in that world and when there's support they can fix it or you know the.

D

People who need to maybe spend money on it can, but just about everything touches public health.

C

When was the last time one of these, when was the last time one of these.

C

um Plans was done on community health. Well, we have a profile, but that's not actually a plan.

D

I don't know that one has been done. Okay, um how old is the profile 10 or 20 years.

D

2007 the profile was done, and that was done through the public health network.

D

um There are, as I said, the the service area needs assessment is good. Wentworth douglas hospital is.

D

Coming out with their own community health profile, I know that that's dover, but they're we're in.

D

Their catchment area, so there's good information. If you read through there to just see what people.

D

Are up against and you know more from a clinical perspective, but they do go into other issues.

C

In terms of the narratives sorry, um can you give me an example like just a really thirty thousand.

C

Foot example of like what that narrative would contain. uh So here's a narrative uh there's a.

D

Local daycare that has closed down one third of its program because it can't find staffing.

D

The families are calling the daycare, because they're desperate to get back into the workforce.

D

Some of them may be professionals that we need um some of the you know. We have a huge service.

D

Area industry here I'm sorry service industry. You know we have a lot of medical facilities here so.

D

um The narrative would stay. This is the problem. This is how covet affected it.

D

If that's the case- and this is what we we see as a need in order to overcome that so.

D

um That seems a very basic example of a narrative. The point of having all the input is so that it.

D

Can be written far more eloquently than that? That will be really helpful. Is that.

G

The one from community campus that was closed down, no that's a local daycare. uh That was a.

G

Local one closed down, and many only ones are they were there for a while, and parents were.

G

Really concerned about that. Yes, all right yeah! I felt that it should have continued.

D

Oh well, I don't know if we're talking about the same one, but the point is: is we're seeing that.

D

We go to do daycare inspections and we find you know a third of them or a half of them closed and.

D

It's because of staffing issues- and that goes to the theme thing, because if we talk about.

A

um I know that workforce has been mentioned a number of times in the past.

A

And if we have gaps, if people are not able to get back to work because of daycare, I mean that.

A

That is, that's, you know, that's a big problem which contributes then to possibly mental.

A

Health issues and other kinds of things, so it's it's it's something for us to think about. For.

D

Sure that's where the narrative is very important, because we don't know if we can get those numbers.

D

Specifically, sometimes it's a two or three year: delay and employment, numbers and and things so.

D

um That's where narratives are very helpful, they tell the story and they tell it accurately.

D

It's just they don't have this data bank that we're drawing on hopefully. Well, I I thought I.

A

Personally, I would love to get at if we could get a more anecdotal, anecdotal or a better information.

A

People that are not able to get into the workforce, because something's keeping them.

A

Back from it, whether it's child care or mental health issues or transportation that that would.

A

Be fabulous, I mean we keep on hearing about it, but we really don't have good numbers on it.

A

And now that's that's something that, in terms of when you, when you do your profile,.

A

Try to get at, um we do have those issues, things like daycare and employment data and everything.

D

On our list of wishes, so hopefully we can find a vendor to go after that.

A

We need to move on to patty, but um how often do you think you should be reporting back to.

A

Us on a bike we meet bi-weekly, so you want to come back bi-weekly or on a monthly well.

D

um I'm not sure if in two weeks I'll have much, but certainly after that, every two.

D

Weeks, we should have quite a bit to discuss okay, so scheduled for two weeks from uh four.

A

Weeks from today, okay- great, thank you. Thank you, okay. Thank you. Thanks again, thanks kim.

A

And next up is patty and rdzone. All right, who is um director of communications for southern.

A

New hampshire services, which is also rockingham, tottenham community action, that's right! Thank you.

A

For coming, oh my pleasure, it's so much fun sitting um in a room listening to all of the things that.

I

I deal with in uh all of the time and that the conversation continues to be alive, as pam was.

I

Talking she mentioned mentioned tory jameson, who was such a huge cog in the integrated delivery.

I

Network project that nick tempest for for this for our region headed and I I believe that, having her.

I

Available will help fill in some gaps of those numbers how to crunch them. Maybe I mean she is.

I

So brilliant she could probably use what what the idn work dug up and forecast it forward to give a.

I

Good I mean covid was not a thing when, uh when we were deep in idn but um again, I think that.

I

She's, just so expert that she'll be able to to look forward and and give you a good guesstimate.

I

Of of of the number, so I I was happy to hear her her name mentioned um also. I think that.

I

For me- and I was just talking to someone from granite united way today whenever I need to go.

I

To a community assessment to get some kind of backup, the united ways were always very good at.

I

um At keeping that kind of information alive again, we keep going back to covet as being not an excuse.

I

But certainly a barrier to to what always had been happening kind of by default. So I don't know.

I

Where they are with their community assessment but lauren wool from from greater seacoast, I am sure.

I

Would be able to say quickly, yes or no? This is what we have for numbers and part of their pillars.

I

Their three pillars were certainly child care, those kinds of resources. So again they may well.

I

Be a quick, a quick go-to for some information that um that they have. They have logged somewhere.

I

um I think my role I was able to speak to will briefly this morning on my way into work.

I

Just to give you a quick background, I was um I started with rca. I think it was 17 years ago.

I

And at that time I had no idea what community action was. I had had a it had my son and needed.

I

To get back to work- and there was a job posted in the hampton union for a part-time community.

I

Relations e kind of role, and so I went and I applied and entered into this world of of I I.

I

Was I was just saying to nancy it's the best kept secret unless you need services that cap provides.

I

You would never know that it existed and it truly is one of the most valuable doorways to capture. I.

I

Think any household or individual, who is it, finds himself in some kind of place of hardship because.

I

um uh It you need, you need heat, we we see homeless. All of the time.

I

um uh I want to get back to work. um Can you help me? I need to find an apartment.

I

um It's really that information and referral place that people just kind of default to and because we.

I

Work so closely with the welfare departments- uh and I mean I work really closely with them.

I

um Happily they they, the people who are experiencing crisis, are steered to whichever.

I

Community action nationally, I hope, uh makes sense for them so as you're working towards this.

I

Conversation that I've kind of gleaned a little bit from from listening from the sidelines. I.

I

Think that a lot of what can inform your your your work, um I I may have, I may have the information.

I

um That I can send to will. The numbers for portsmouth is something that we keep and we.

I

Keep tallied in terms of how many individuals and households receive all of the services that we.

I

Have and what the value of services would be to to the town? If, if we didn't have the federal funding.

I

um Right now we're experiencing and it's no secret to anyone, the the rental emergency.

I

Rental program people are attritioning out of their 18 months. That benefits would have been a.

I

Help to them and now they're calling our office I spoke to ellen before I came in here, met with.

I

The kingston, the new welfare person in kingston and she's, seeing a significant uptick in calls.

I

Which we knew would come up until now. People were not walking into welfare offices. We sought almost.

I

No traffic in our food pantries, it was as if life had just frozen for many people and for.

I

Many reasons I think some people were laid off and not not brought back on some people.

I

um Decided, that's not what they wanted to do and they were looking for something else. We've heard.

I

That you know it was at the great resignation that that we were calling it and other people.

I

um Who really always needed hand-holding? My allergies are, I know, very attractive, um always.

I

Needed hand-holding took that opportunity just to hide and just kind of hope. Things were going to.

I

Work out for them and instead of saving whatever money they could, while they were getting benefits.

I

They had extra money, so they weren't going to the food pantries and taking advantage of that and.

I

Leveraging they were spending the money and- and I think that's what we're going to see and we're.

I

Going to see a tsunami across the country of this, not just portsmouth, not just rockingham, I think.

I

We're going to see we're going to see people saying now. What do I do and then the answer is.

I

uh Oh, my gosh, what do you do you know? um Let's, let's for us, we would say: let's back up are.

I

You on fuel assistance, do you need electric assistance? You know kind of go through all of.

I

Those same questions to try to stop the backward movement, provide the supports. If we do not.

I

um Have the supports in-house make those community partner connections with the with our community.

I

Partners who are out and about and who are doing, the good work and it's going to feel.

I

Like I think, for a little bit of time that we are, we are uh juggling every everything and the good.

I

And the bad of it is, it gives us an opportunity to maybe reconnect with community partners that.

I

um Because of the pandemic, we've all kind of siled ourselves, but we can come back in. We can.

I

Invite people back in for workforce- and I don't have to tell- will about that, but the you know the.

I

Community colleges and trying to find kids who are going through school to come into our workforce.

I

um Try to figure that out with with what is it that you want to do conversations again.

I

Connecting people in ways that they probably never thought that they needed to be connected if you've.

I

Never had to ask for help, you don't know what you don't know and I'm not talking about the long long.

I

Time, low low income people I'm talking about people who have I mean my husband- was laid off.

I

um People who have never had to grapple with how do I fill in the you know, fill in the blank.

I

So that's a I mean, that's a very broad, a broad brush stroke. But if you, if you all, have have.

I

Questions I'm I I am more than willing to to take your lead and try to fill in some some gaps.

A

You mentioned um kingston and welfare department. There. Can you extrapolate that to.

A

uh More of a general scene across across municipalities and wealth and welfare departments.

A

Where they're they're going to be, uh should we say, be seen a tsunami of individuals who all of.

A

A sudden come out of places, you know, they've been hiding, they've been um using services, but now the.

A

Services are going to run out and or resources and they're going to find themselves in a place.

A

Where they're going to need right a helping hand, but it seems like systems, are going to.

A

Be overwhelmed if I, if I'm understanding you correctly systems, are good system s.

I

To their to to to their to their healthy working working uh status,.

I

um The way that we work with welfare and I'll give you a little a very brief overview if.

I

Someone calls us, we will immediately say: have you reached out to portsmouth? Have you reached.

I

Out to alan tully, if they have not done that, we suggest that they do that. At the same time,.

I

We will say what what kind of program are you interested and and largely it's fuel assistance.

I

So once ellen makes contact with the portsmouth resident.

I

And she does have daily contact with our office between us and ellen. We will say, and and my my.

I

My motto is always this use our money. First, always we've got federal funding for so much. My job is to.

I

Make sure that the municipalities in rockingham county really understand that it's it's not lip.

I

Service we're we are here for them and we are here to be good stewards of of the taxpayers money so.

I

Why would I want portsmouth to pay uh uh the whole nut for somebody for fuel when, when we've got it.

I

And alan is to your point well going to have people who are already a part of fuel assistance.

I

They already are connected to all of the service supports that they should be, but it's not going to.

I

Be enough for them or something is going to happen, I mean their water heater will die or you know.

I

Something is going to happen that that is, is not neatly tucked away in in one agency's purview. So.

I

That's where that that relay relationship between a welfare office and community action and again.

I

I hope nationally. This is true where they come together and say what it. What is it that we can do.

I

More often than not, it will be a a and ellen tully will say. I can't pay for their last for.

I

Their last month's rent, so if you can handle that, then I can in good faith, do this and it truly is.

I

That conversation might bring in women women's aid that conversation will bring in share whatever it.

I

Is that we can do to to gather the right people at the table to not put a band-aid on someone's.

I

Problem, but to actually solve it is, is what we want to do, and by being that conduit to draw those.

I

Conversations all together, we continue to inform what it is that's presenting to all of us, so that.

I

We can hopefully kind of get ahead of it or prompt a conversation. You know I've seen a lot of people.

I

Coming through and they are what whatever it is, and we need to talk about that and are we do we.

I

Have the right people at this table should we draw other people to this table, so we can.

I

um Either, take on that programming as community action or find a good home for it. For someone.

I

Means we don't want to duplicate anyone's efforts. You know years ago, rca had meals on wheels and.

I

Then, when meals on wheels got really healthy, we were happy to say you know, let us know who you.

I

Need fuel apps for and we will support them that way. So I I think, as I think, number one continuing.

I

The good conversations and communication between all municipalities and community action agencies.

I

Not because I'm a lover of community action, but because we do we do represent those basic needs.

I

That people have, without which they've got that white noise in their head and.

I

They won't want to listen. They can't listen so to keep that really good communication going.

I

Portsmith um gives us some money through through the cdbg funds. um The interesting.

I

Part of of what's happening with the emergency rental program is many. Portsmouth residents have.

I

Gotten benefits through that and we haven't had to use the money that we've gotten through portsmouth.

I

As people transition out of benefits, portsmouth residents are going, I think, going to to be very.

I

Present in needing that cdbg money, as well as our discretionary funds, which I you probably have seen.

I

The gift of warmth- that's published every year that came out of a awful time for rca when the.

I

The long-time executive director um was gone and the executive committee thought they could be.

I

The executive director and for those of you who know that could that was never going to work so.

I

um Of course, the papers became alerted to it and howard ultraler came, and I brought.

I

Him at the time we were in this building on the third floor and feel was in the morgue.

I

And I brought him down down to them and they used the body. I was telling nancy, we.

I

Used the body drawers for for filing cabinets, that was it was and and the ghost is george.

I

um But I I knew I knew that we were dealing with two different things. We were dealing with with a.

I

Board issue but programmatically we were amazing, and so when I brought him down to talk to the.

I

Staff in the in fuel assistance, he sat with everyone, we walked out and he said: could you.

I

Use a campaign: if we could raise money for you, could you use a campaign and I thought, and that.

I

My friend is how this works, that, when you, when you're able to really affect people's lives, it.

I

Shows and he walked out of their understanding- that we've talked about the narrative of it all.

I

That's wonderful because the stories would break your heart, but also he understood that this truly.

I

Was moving the needle and that there was need for discretionary money for people who were helped. But.

I

If you're a penny shy of eligibility, you are no less in need than you are if you are eligible so.

I

um The welfare community action relationship is significant and it's significant in in every way.

I

Because that is where people and need is presented, you'll get the weirdest phone calls and- and I want.

I

Them because I would rather have somebody call and say I, you know: I've got a client uh bureau.

I

Of elderly and adult services, we work very closely with them um a pet. The person needs to go into the.

I

Hospital, what do we do with their pet? You know, or they need food, they don't have money for food.

I

um All of those little things that never land on paper or on a on a city report.

I

um That's that's what happens and um anyway, I hate to cut a shirt, but uh there any questions.

A

For patty and I'm always available- I I am always available to come and and sit with any of you.

I

If you want more information again, I've got I've got the data, I can bring data to you. um um I sit.

I

On the governor's council for housing stability, so I've got that information as well, and I'm also the.

I

Co-Chair of the balance of state, I can bring that information to you as well, whatever it is that.

I

Would help inform your process I'm available? Thank you. Maybe this will clear up by then seriously.

F

Please I do have a question so please please reach out. I do have a question patty, um so I do. You have.

F

Any estimates as to how many individuals will be going will end their 18-month era this winter and.

F

Whether or not and how you'll use discretionary versus city welfare funds to keep them housed.

I

That I don't know about the about the client numbers, I'm I don't have access to the to the.

I

Database, but I will tell you, regardless of where someone or why someone presents to us, we don't.

I

We don't have apartments that we can house people in, but we certainly do. We certainly.

I

Have had people who are presenting saying I am either going to be invited out out of my apartment.

I

Or I do not have a home working with 2-1-1 and this is a conversation for a whole other time.

I

The state is working very hard on something called coordinated entry, which means that if.

I

Someone truly is at risk of being homeless or they're homeless. They would call 2-1-1.

I

They would go through a short list of identifying at what at what where, where in the scale they are.

I

Truly, like maslow's hierarchy of risk and there's something called a prioritization list, they would.

I

Be bumped up if they were the 100th person calling that day, but they were the most at risk. They would.

I

Be bumped up on the list and go to that regional access partner who would work with them so.

I

So our work with that person would be to make sure that they are connected. Not given a phone number.

I

But that they are connected with whichever appropriate agency entity, whatever it is, and.

I

If that's calling in ellen, if it's calling in will, because this person has no place to live.

I

um Whoever it is to make sure this person is safe, while we can work with them, is what we will do so.

I

The rental program aside, we would look at someone presenting as no more no less than a human being.

I

Who happens to call portsmouth their home and would and and we would help serve them.

I

Tangentially, what's happening is new hampshire. Welfare association is becoming very vocal and.

I

Aware that people are being housed outside of what their last city of residence was.

I

And how are they going to work together? Because there are towns who have already.

I

Submitted their budget for this fiscal year and they did not think that people were going.

I

To be flooding into their cities and towns, and this conversation is happening everywhere, but.

I

Wherever these people are presenting, the community action agency is going to be working with them.

I

It will look different at different counties, but we will always be working with them.

A

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Patty for coming on such short notice very helpful. um We don't have.

A

A lot of time for just general discussion but I'll open it up to thoughts, comments, questions.

A

Anything we learned today that yeah he continues to move, move us in the right direction.

C

Then kind of thinking all along is being proven um right in there. I think perhaps at the next meeting.

C

We should talk about a timeline. um I love hearing from the people doing the work. That's.

C

You know validating, but at some point we're going to have to shift from.

C

Continuing to validate what we already know to, how are we taking this information.

C

Putting it together in a package to be able to present so you know for me, it was interesting.

A

To listen to to kim and to patty and and I and for both of them, I saw kind of a theme and that.

A

Is that there are people that are not in the workforce, for a variety of reasons that at some.

A

Point we'll come back to the workforce, hopefully, but that are going to encounter significant.

A

Obstacles and those are hopefully- and you know those tied to the themes that we've been talking.

A

About whether it's transportation or daycare or uh mental health or anything else, and so um it val it.

A

Continues to validate the conversations that we've been having and for me that it was good today to.

A

Hear that? um Because we can come back next week and begin to your point, to have a little bit more.

A

um Midi discussion on well, I've been here, we've been hearing and what we've been discussing so.

A

At some point to your point, we do need to get to the meat of it and and begin to have.

A

um The kind of conversation among ourselves to get some decisions. I had invited zach mclaughlin for.

H

The superintendent to come next uh for the 18th okay, so he said he can come so I don't know if we.

H

Want to think about, you know he could present. So we have that one more piece and then maybe we spend the rest of the meeting really looking at the trends and really laying it out, because it has.

H

Already been the end of that's the last october meeting and it's like november december yeah, so.

H

Then maybe we could spend more of the meeting laying out the agendas almost for the rest of.

H

The or where we're going to be in december or hope to be okay, I was interested in what she said about.

B

The food pantries and stuff like that that people have backed off, and it makes me wonder if, with all.

B

The stimulus checks and rental assistance, if that isn't one reason for the lack of workforce, because.

B

People yeah that's felt like they didn't need to work so much yeah, that's part of it. So yeah.

A

um But at some point that's going to run out and and if you're not engaging and.

A

Looking for work and then you continue to have a problem without the resources.

A

um That they've been getting so it's it's going to have an impact karen. I don't know if you have a a.

A

Perspective on this, from what you just heard from them, because it seems like uh I was fascinated and.

E

And encouraged by what patty ann shared um and what the this group should know is the welfare.

E

Department and the welfare portion of the city budget is the only section of the budget that.

E

Is allowed to spend more money than is allocated in the budget? No other department can do that and.

E

That's a state um statue that every community can do that ellen tully is the unsung hero of.

E

City staff, in my opinion- and she knows where all the patties are and all those resources are so.

E

Maybe at a future meeting we could hear from ellen as well, not on the 18th. I think we should.

E

Leave it for dr mclaughlin and and timeline, but keep ellen in your thoughts. So dr mclaughlin's.

A

Already been invited, yes yep, I invited him to this one. He wasn't able to come, but he did.

H

Confirm with me last week he can come on okay, great, so I'll put him on the agenda because.

B

If you're going to try to come up with a fix for the workforce housing, we I mean we're not.

B

I mean that for lack of workforce, like you said, we really need to understand exactly what I mean.

B

Because we were talking about the idea of having uh some of this arbor money go to sign on bonuses.

B

To get people, but maybe that's not an issue yeah. You know, we don't know what the yeah. What is going.

B

To bring people back to work, I wonder if there are social um you know like uh counselors and stuff.

G

That are reaching out to these people, who maybe have not been working for a very period of a year.

G

Or two years ever during the pandemic time and our need some help to get back into the workforce.

G

And from my speaking with some people that was mentioned, you know they don't know where.

G

They're going to go and um how they're going to go about doing it, you know and whatever, however,.

G

They survived is with all these different programs that you know help them whatever pay their rent.

G

Get their food whatever and um I just wanted to share. I go back to community action all the way.

G

Back when it first started and worked with families in seacrest village, if some of you.

G

Remember see chris village years ago, and it was a program out of unh a program out of community.

G

Action what she was talking about now, that's what existed then in the early, 70s and stuff, okay, we've.

G

Got a and I'm just saying, because uh sharon- and we all have to get back to me and I have to leave too.

A

Okay and you have to leave yeah very much, okay, uh any exciting public comment before we adjourn, I do.

E

Not have anyone on zoom, okay, there's no one in the room great. So I'm entertain a motion to adjourn al.

E

Comments or emotions who's seconded I'll suck at it. Thank you.

A

Thank you. Oh time goes by too quickly. Thank you.