OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Budget Hearing for Health Department - March 20, 2026

City Council — Friday, March 20, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateFriday, March 20, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:07:27

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Congratulations on your first budget hearing here.

0:02

Thank you.

0:04

We jump right in.

0:05

Please introduce your staff and feel free to begin your presentation, sir.

0:50

Just one moment, please.

0:54

For your get here.

0:55

Coordinate.

0:59

Coordinate.

1:01

We've been here all day.

1:03

Coordinate.

1:13

Coordinate.

1:26

And we want to thank you for your patience as well as we wait for you.

1:29

You've been uh patiently waiting.

1:31

I know you're supposed to start at two o'clock.

1:32

We've, of course, as you saw, had a budget hearing prior to you.

1:37

And uh got a number, but we had two budget hearings earlier today and got a little late start.

1:41

So again, thank you for your patience.

1:44

And uh again, welcome.

1:45

Thank you.

1:53

Good afternoon.

1:55

Um wanted to to be here to sort of present some of the mayor's um overall views um and uh priorities for the for the health department.

2:04

Um the health department is an extremely important uh department, just like all of them are um to make sure that Detroiters have long healthy um uh lifespans.

2:15

Um the mayor has objectives around chronic disease, around making sure that programs and resources are readily available.

2:24

Um there we're talking about a process where you can possibly go pay a water bill and get connected to health resources that way.

2:31

So, really a no-wrong door approach to making sure that health resources are available.

2:36

There is a close alignment between the human services capacity that's being built right now and the health department because we know that when you have your basic needs met, such as housing, transportation, uh, we can then have you prioritize physical health needs.

2:51

And so we both need a uh extremely strong human services capacity as well as a strong and connected health department capacity.

2:59

And so really happy to be here to talk about what the health department is doing now, uh, and also to talk about what the health department will be doing in the future to make sure that all Detroiters are readily connected and have access to the resources they need uh for long and healthy lives.

3:19

Through the chair, I would like to yield to the deputy director for public health, uh, Ms.

3:23

Christina Floyd.

3:24

Okay, everyone.

3:26

Uh my name is Christina Floyd, and I'm Deputy Director of Public Health for the Detroit Health Department.

3:30

So for the uh Detroit Health Department, we've been doing public health services, very essential services for over 100 years to uh all residents, visitors of the city of Detroit uh through our mission, uh which is to address public and population health priorities of Detroiters, because we want to ensure that everybody has an opportunity to thrive.

3:50

Most of our services uh go from environmental health, maternal child health, uh, all the way to uh your uh smaller, most um social determinants of health type programs as well.

4:02

And so uh throughout this, you will be able to see how those services intertwine with the new vision admission of our administration.

4:11

Question We at the health department have uh really looked at how we can transform into a trusted partner uh within the neighborhoods for the entire city of Detroit.

4:23

We have four critical buckets that we have services under uh that we provide for public health programs, environmental health, social determinants of health, as well as our clinical services.

4:34

Most notably our HIV services, which have come through for multiple reasons.

4:39

Uh those services have been provided from really the inception of the health department.

4:43

Um we also have our safe roots programs uh and especially our behavioral health programs through our public health programs.

4:50

Environmental health has two main uh capacities, one for food safety, but also for environmental health, where we also uh review pools, plan reviews, uh, and other uh such as tattoo uh institutions as well.

5:07

We have programs that focus on social determinants of health, such as our communical disease as well as emergency preparedness, which allows us to be able to respond effectively and responsively to any public health emergency within the city of Detroit.

5:21

Our clinical services range from reproductive health to women infinite children, as well as immunizations and a plethora of maternal child health services.

5:34

We have several locations within the city of Detroit, not only for our main administrative building, which is at 100 MAC Avenue, our satellite center, which is at the Samaritan Center on the east side.

6:04

Throughout last year, we were able to accomplish quite a bit throughout 2026.

6:10

And so our rise to care program, which started in 2024, later part of that year, we've been able to have over 25,000 rides administered to mothers and those who are caregivers of children up to one year of age.

6:28

We have distributed over 20,000 Narcan kids through our public health response for opioid as well as our behavioral health teams.

6:38

And we have also throughout the entire services that we provide touched well over 70,000 residents.

6:46

We did most certainly an astonishing be able to complete our community health assessment as well as develop a community health improvement plan to be able to see those activities through in order to address the priorities of the community.

7:01

And we have integrated our community health worker type services within the city of Detroit through all districts to address those social needs as well.

7:16

So our RISE to care program, as I stated, started November 18th of 2024, and that is to ensure that mothers who are pregnant as well as caregivers of children from zero to one year old are able to go to prenatal, postnatal, or pediatric care services, and again that is something that we have seen be able to grow in success.

7:40

As it started in uh November 2024, we slowly had close to roughly close to 500 rides per month.

7:50

We steadily saw that increase all the way to uh whereas of December 2025.

7:55

We have seen close to 1,900 rides per month.

8:02

Again, our HIV STI program is very critical in the uh ensuring that we are intentional about the work that we are doing to prevent HIV and STIs throughout the city of Detroit.

8:16

Uh we have been able to have an 87% viral low suppression rate throughout the clients that we have.

8:23

Uh understanding what that looks like in 2024, uh, new cases of HIV were at 212 within the City of Detroit, where we actually have our coverage throughout the City of Detroit as well as our surrounding counties.

8:37

New cases were at 435.

8:40

And so why that's important is to ensure that those individuals are into care quickly, they know their stylus quickly, and they're able to be undetectable to be able to be untransmittable very easily.

8:54

We uh through various resources distributed 90,000 condoms throughout the city of Detroit for free to residents, uh partners and other services who uh request to have that type of service provided.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Health█████████████████████████████████████████████61%
Mental Health Awareness█████████12%
Public Comment██████8%
Economic Development███4%
Parks and Recreation█2%
Technology and Innovation█2%
Environmental Protection█2%
Cannabis Regulation█2%
Procedural█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Budget Hearing for Health Department - March 20, 2026

The Detroit City Council held a budget hearing for the Detroit Health Department on March 20, 2026. The department presented its fiscal year 2027 budget request of $60.4 million, detailing programs, accomplishments, and future priorities. Council members engaged in extensive discussion, posed questions on a range of public health issues, and passed numerous motions to direct funding and policy actions.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Betty A. Varner (President, DeSota Elsewhere Black Association) requested funding to help black clubs and associations pay land use hearing fees and for corridor redevelopment, specifically mentioning the Finkel Corridor.
  • Cassiana Gibson (Michigan Immigrant Rights Center) urged sufficient funding for the Detroit ID program, which is moving to Human Services, to continue providing essential IDs.
  • Matthew Murray (Gingerroot) invited the health department to be thought partners on black men’s mental health, advocating for restorative care, expanded mobile access, and supportive counseling. He also opposed data centers.
  • Justin Dale (Black Men Work Detroit / Ginger Root Collective) advocated for workforce development and holistic mental wellness programs for black men, including the Jabali Project.
  • Cassie Peller (Detroit Disability Power) urged maximizing funds for free vaccines, HIV/STI services, mental health programs, and accessible promotion of services, especially for disabled residents.
  • Ona Papa criticized the lack of a required annual health department evaluation and called for attention to infant mortality among black women and particulate matter from speed humps.
  • Timothy Bent (Ginger Root Collective) expressed support for mental health investments and opposed data centers.
  • William M. Davis praised RX Kids, called for a west-side health facility, free parking at 100 Mac, and regular health assessments.
  • Jabari Cook (Ginger Root) advocated for specific mental health interventions and opposed data centers and AI.
  • Tyler Caton (Ginger Root / Ford) supported mental health investments and opposed data centers.
  • Kamal Jawara (Ginger Root) supported closing resolutions on mental health access at rec centers and behavioral health workforce, and opposed data centers.
  • “iPhone” (last caller) criticized the council and suggested redirecting $75,000 for cannabis containers to other projects.

Discussion Items

  • Health Department Presentation (Chief of Staff, Deputy Director Christina Floyd, Chief Public Health Officer Ali Abazid, Dr. Luke Schaefer, Trisha Stein, and others):
    • Outlined the department’s mission, four service buckets (public health programs, environmental health, social determinants of health, clinical services).
    • Highlighted accomplishments: RISE to Care program (over 25,000 rides since Nov 2024, growing to 1,900 rides/month), 20,000+ Narcan kits distributed, 70,000+ residents served, 87% HIV viral load suppression rate, 90,000 condoms distributed, 43 Narcan trainings, 155 behavioral health trainings, emergency response to Southwest flood.
    • Presented fiscal year 2027 budget: $60.4 million total (42% General Fund, state block grants, federal grants, service fees). Key line items: Community Violence Intervention (one-time $10.8 million), Rides to Care position conversion ($33,000).
    • Future priorities: maternal/infant/child health (RX Kids, Rides to Care), asthma care, chronic disease prevention, healthy food access, reducing barriers to healthcare, mental/behavioral health expansion, and embedding “Health in All Policies” across city operations.
  • Council Member Waters questioned about senior services and contingency plans for dwindling state/federal dollars. The department noted that the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs is housed in the mayor’s office but staffed by health department, and contingency plans are in place.
  • Council President Tate asked about mental/behavioral health services at rec centers. The department committed to expanding community health worker and behavioral health specialist presence in rec centers and wellness centers, and exploring partnerships for mobile therapy services. A motion to place this into executive session was passed.
  • Council President Tate also requested a study on COVID-19 impacts in Detroit. A motion to place this into executive session was passed.
  • Council Member McCampbell discussed asthma, air quality, and RX Kids. Dr. Schaefer reported that RX Kids had enrolled 1,100 families, paid $1.5 million in cash prescriptions, and 570 babies born. He noted funding secured for three years and potential for expansion. A motion to place lead prevention into executive session was passed.
  • Council Member Callaway advocated for lead prevention (noting $2 million added last year), child poverty (triple national average), and lack of west-side satellite services. The department committed to increasing lead advocates and improving communication. Callaway also highlighted that Districts 6 and 7 have the highest concentration of youth but few services.
  • Council Member Johnson asked about health impact assessments for areas abutting industrial zones. The department noted a recent community health needs assessment (6,300 residents) and ongoing work with URC. She also raised concerns about the Travel Inn property. A motion to add health studies to executive session was passed.
  • Council Pro Tem Young raised Detroit’s high STI rates (1,491 per 100,000) and asked about technology, AI, and partnerships (e.g., Grindr). The department said it advertises on Grindr, partners with Ruth Ellis, and distributes 90,000 condoms annually. Young also inquired about guaranteed income and baby bonds; Dr. Schaefer discussed cash transfer evidence and expressed openness to further conversation. Motions to place guaranteed income and baby bonds into closing resolutions were passed.
  • Council Member Santiago Romero confirmed the Detroit ID program is moving to Human Services with three staff. She emphasized air quality data needs, mental health co-response (which is now in the health department), and the Detroit CARES campaign. Trisha Stein reported on the co-response pilot: less than 5% return rate to police, expanded to 24/7 with 200 calls/month referred to DWIN.
  • Council Member Benson questioned the “Too Cool for Drugs” program and the mandated 2% of marijuana revenue for substance misuse prevention. The department confirmed $63,000 allocated but Benson argued for 10% and a clearer budget line. She also raised concerns about health inspector recruitment and the “Dining with Confidence” program. The department noted bilingual inspectors, academic partnerships, and a pathways program. Benson made motions to: increase funds to 10% for family substance misuse, direct $250,000 from marijuana revenue to that line, and require health department participation in data center regulation. All passed.
  • Council Member Callaway moved $75,000 for child-resistant cannabis containers, which passed.
  • Council Member McCampbell moved a closing resolution for health and workforce development to build a sustainable behavioral health workforce, which passed.
  • Council Pro Tem Young stated he added $1 million to the co-response program to send mental health workers instead of police.

Key Outcomes

  • Motions Passed (all without objection):
    1. Place discussion of mental/behavioral health services at rec centers into executive session.
    2. Place a study of COVID-19 effects in Detroit into executive session.
    3. Place childhood lead prevention program into executive session.
    4. Place health studies (including understanding them in detail) into executive session.
    5. Place guaranteed income into a closing resolution (for further discussion).
    6. Place baby bonds into a closing resolution (for further discussion).
    7. Place increase of funds for family substance misuse (from 2% to 10% of marijuana revenue) into a closing resolution.
    8. Direct $250,000 from marijuana excise tax revenue to family substance use prevention line item.
    9. Urge health department to partner with Detroit at Work on Dining with Confidence training program (closing resolution).
    10. Urge health department to participate in data center regulation development (closing resolution).
    11. Place $75,000 for child-resistant cannabis containers into executive session.
    12. Place a closing resolution for health and workforce development to build a sustainable behavioral health workforce.
  • Budget Request: The Detroit Health Department’s fiscal year 2027 budget request of $60.4 million was presented for council consideration. No final vote was taken; the hearing continues.
  • Public Hearing: The council announced a public hearing on the budget for March 30, 2026 at 5 p.m.
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned due to loss of quorum.

Meeting Transcript

Congratulations on your first budget hearing here. Thank you. We jump right in. Please introduce your staff and feel free to begin your presentation, sir. Just one moment, please. For your get here. Coordinate. Coordinate. We've been here all day. Coordinate. Coordinate. And we want to thank you for your patience as well as we wait for you. You've been uh patiently waiting. I know you're supposed to start at two o'clock. We've, of course, as you saw, had a budget hearing prior to you. And uh got a number, but we had two budget hearings earlier today and got a little late start. So again, thank you for your patience. And uh again, welcome. Thank you. Good afternoon. Um wanted to to be here to sort of present some of the mayor's um overall views um and uh priorities for the for the health department. Um the health department is an extremely important uh department, just like all of them are um to make sure that Detroiters have long healthy um uh lifespans. Um the mayor has objectives around chronic disease, around making sure that programs and resources are readily available. Um there we're talking about a process where you can possibly go pay a water bill and get connected to health resources that way. So, really a no-wrong door approach to making sure that health resources are available. There is a close alignment between the human services capacity that's being built right now and the health department because we know that when you have your basic needs met, such as housing, transportation, uh, we can then have you prioritize physical health needs. And so we both need a uh extremely strong human services capacity as well as a strong and connected health department capacity. And so really happy to be here to talk about what the health department is doing now, uh, and also to talk about what the health department will be doing in the future to make sure that all Detroiters are readily connected and have access to the resources they need uh for long and healthy lives. Through the chair, I would like to yield to the deputy director for public health, uh, Ms. Christina Floyd. Okay, everyone. Uh my name is Christina Floyd, and I'm Deputy Director of Public Health for the Detroit Health Department. So for the uh Detroit Health Department, we've been doing public health services, very essential services for over 100 years to uh all residents, visitors of the city of Detroit uh through our mission, uh which is to address public and population health priorities of Detroiters, because we want to ensure that everybody has an opportunity to thrive. Most of our services uh go from environmental health, maternal child health, uh, all the way to uh your uh smaller, most um social determinants of health type programs as well. And so uh throughout this, you will be able to see how those services intertwine with the new vision admission of our administration. Question We at the health department have uh really looked at how we can transform into a trusted partner uh within the neighborhoods for the entire city of Detroit. We have four critical buckets that we have services under uh that we provide for public health programs, environmental health, social determinants of health, as well as our clinical services. Most notably our HIV services, which have come through for multiple reasons. Uh those services have been provided from really the inception of the health department. Um we also have our safe roots programs uh and especially our behavioral health programs through our public health programs. Environmental health has two main uh capacities, one for food safety, but also for environmental health, where we also uh review pools, plan reviews, uh, and other uh such as tattoo uh institutions as well. We have programs that focus on social determinants of health, such as our communical disease as well as emergency preparedness, which allows us to be able to respond effectively and responsively to any public health emergency within the city of Detroit. Our clinical services range from reproductive health to women infinite children, as well as immunizations and a plethora of maternal child health services. We have several locations within the city of Detroit, not only for our main administrative building, which is at 100 MAC Avenue, our satellite center, which is at the Samaritan Center on the east side. Throughout last year, we were able to accomplish quite a bit throughout 2026. And so our rise to care program, which started in 2024, later part of that year, we've been able to have over 25,000 rides administered to mothers and those who are caregivers of children up to one year of age. We have distributed over 20,000 Narcan kids through our public health response for opioid as well as our behavioral health teams. And we have also throughout the entire services that we provide touched well over 70,000 residents. We did most certainly an astonishing be able to complete our community health assessment as well as develop a community health improvement plan to be able to see those activities through in order to address the priorities of the community. And we have integrated our community health worker type services within the city of Detroit through all districts to address those social needs as well.

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