Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Meeting - October 4, 2023
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Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee Meeting - October 4, 2023
The Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee met on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 2:00 PM. The meeting included informational presentations on mental health bed providers, a resolution declaring a behavioral health bed crisis, and the 2023 State Affairs Update. The committee unanimously approved the consent calendar and the resolution.
Consent Calendar
- Committee Actions of September 27, 2023: Approved unanimously (all members present: Vice Chair Montgomery Steppe, Councilmember Campbell, Councilmember Lee, and Chair Campillo).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 2 – Mental Health Bed Providers:
- John Brady (Lived Experienced Advisors) urged the city to stop criminalizing homelessness without adequate resources.
- Blair Beekman (Santa Clara County) highlighted the need for trust and accessibility in services.
- Dan Schkowski called for a federal-level psychiatric hospital model and criticized proposed concentration of services at Miramar.
- Terry Ann Skelly expressed concern about marijuana normalization and its impact on youth mental health.
- An anonymous speaker criticized the contradiction between providing harm reduction tools and attempting to reduce drug use.
- Becky Rapp emphasized that marijuana often leads to harder drug use and urged the council to consider root causes.
- Item 1 – Behavioral Health Bed Crisis Resolution:
- Joy Sunata (District 3) stressed the need for collaboration and training for first responders.
- Dan Schkowski urged equal distribution of mental health facilities across council districts.
- Karen Semick (Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties) supported the resolution and called for regional partnership.
- Blair Beekman emphasized the need for local counseling services and trust.
- Lori Saldania asked the resolution to include preventive care categories.
- An anonymous speaker questioned the feasibility of adding beds without addressing workforce shortages.
- Item 3 – 2023 State Affairs Update:
- Joy Sunata thanked staff and urged support for AB 799 (homelessness funding).
- Lori Saldania encouraged monitoring SB 381 (e-bike accidents) for city bike lane planning.
- Blair Beekman expressed hope for state flexibility on housing goals.
- Dan Schkowski questioned the allocation of homelessness funds and former city staff salaries.
- Judy Strang urged opposition to marijuana and hallucinogen legislation (AB 1207, AB 374, SB 58).
- An anonymous speaker criticized fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending.
- Non-Agenda Public Comment:
- Joy Sunata promoted Fleet Week ship tours (November 10-12, 2023).
- Dan Schkowski commented on media influence and proposed homeless compound at Miramar.
- Lori Saldania raised concerns about lobbying and the Midway Rising contract.
- Blair Beekman urged a slow, transparent process for the smart streetlight contract.
- An anonymous speaker criticized incentives for electric vehicles and lithium batteries.
Discussion Items
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Item 2 – Informational Presentation on Mental Health Bed Providers:
- Marissa Veronde (Executive Director, McAllister Institute) presented on the substance use disorder (SUD) continuum. She noted that San Diego only offers community-based (clinically managed) levels of care, lacking medically monitored detox and residential treatment. There are approximately 1,076 clinically managed beds and only 77 detox beds countywide (2 in San Diego city). Since January 2020, 50% of detox capacity was lost. McAllister reviewed 45 facilities for a grant-funded expansion (58 new beds) but has not closed escrow on any site. Barriers include land use processes (conditional use permits taking up to 10 months), supply chain issues, and inflation.
- Patricia Bloom (Chief Strategy Officer, Crestwood Behavioral Health) discussed high-end care for involuntary patients with serious mental illness. She emphasized the need for supportive services (clubhouses, peer respite, faith community engagement, vocational preparation) to prevent crisis. Crestwood operates 248 locked MHRC beds and 15 CCL beds in San Diego County, serving about 600 people per year. She advocated for trauma-informed approaches and employment supports.
- Councilmember Campbell expressed shock at the lack of inpatient medical detox and noted that previously hospitals could admit patients for withdrawal. She asked about reimbursement parity issues. Councilmember Lee asked about land use challenges and workforce needs. Veronde noted that 45 facilities were reviewed but none yet acquired; she suggested a centralized technical assistance resource for providers.
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Item 1 – Resolution Declaring a Behavioral Health Bed Crisis:
- Policy Advisor Carrie Shaw presented the item, summarizing data from the previous week: since 2017, San Diego County lost 3,850 beds (146 adult residential facilities and 138 elderly care facilities closed). The Optimal Care Pathways model shows a need for 64% increase in subacute services, 142% increase in community-based care (450 beds), and 359% increase in community crisis diversion, leading to a 40% drop in acute inpatient use. EMS received 31,000 behavioral health calls in FY23, consuming 53,000 fire department hours. The resolution directs the Government Affairs Department to advocate for state/federal funding, partner with the county and stakeholders, and direct the Planning Department to explore zoning updates to reduce barriers for facilities.
- Chair Campillo made a motion to request the City Attorney to work with Council District 7 staff to bring the resolution to City Council. Councilmember Lee seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
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Item 3 – 2023 State Affairs Update:
- Adrian Grande (Director of Government Affairs) and Moira Topp (Platinum Advisors) provided an overview of state legislative successes despite a $31 billion deficit. Key wins included ongoing funding for the Homelessness Assistance and Prevention (HAP) program (second year of allocation), ongoing funding for the youth Job Corps (Empower and Employ program), and $26 million in direct community project allocations. They highlighted priority bills: SB 43 (conservatorship reform), SB 326 (Mental Health Services Act modernization with a $6.83 billion bond for 10,000 treatment beds), and others on housing production, transparency, and public safety. The governor had until October 14 to act on hundreds of bills.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: The committee voted unanimously to direct the City Attorney to draft a resolution declaring a behavioral health bed crisis for City Council consideration. The resolution includes directives for advocacy, interagency coordination, and zoning updates.
- Item 2: Informational only; no action taken. Committee members expressed intent to continue collaboration with providers and county.
- Item 3: Informational only; no action taken. Committee members expressed appreciation for state advocacy and ongoing funding wins.
The meeting adjourned at the conclusion of non-agenda public comment. The next regular meeting is scheduled for November 1, 2023, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting of October 4th, 2023. Our committee manager, Tyler Birch, will provide information instruction on the public to participate in today's meeting. Thank you very much, Chair Campio. While members of the public are able to attend the meeting in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the C's website, and Council Administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking, or five minutes after in-person testimony concludes, whichever occurs first. This will allow for bury meeting management between the two platforms. Councilmember Campbell. Councilmember Lee. Here. And I am also present. Also in chambers, Amy Lee, Fiscal and Policy Analyst from the Office of the IBA, Deputy City Attorney Daphne Scogan from the Office of the City Attorney. And Stephen Hill, Senior Policy Advisor from the Office of the Mayor. Tyler, please continue with public comment instruction. Thank you very much, Chair. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance and chambers and place it at the box indicate at the speaker's lecture and at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. So members of the public can join the webinar by computer tablet or smartphone by accessing the link which is listed online in the preamble language on the agenda on the CEA's webpage to join the Zoom webinar by phone. Please dial 1669-2545252 when prompted, input webinar ID 160-381-2925 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking, or five minutes after the conclusion of in-person public testimony, whichever occurs first. Please note that if you're watching via C T V 24 or ch uh or online, there may be a delay, so please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it's your turn to speak. If you wish to speak our particular item, please wait for that item to be called and raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a calling participant, star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you, Tyler, for reviewing the instructions for the benefit of the public and a quorum now being present. We will dispense with the approval of committee actions of September 27, 2023. Tyler, please proceed. Thank you. Yes. Councilmember Campbell. Councilmember Lee. Yes. And I am also a yes. That passes unanimously with all members present. We will now move to committee members, mayoral staff, city attorney, and IBA comments. And I see Councilmember Lee is on the lights. Seeing none, and I'm not going to recognize any more birthday comments. We will now move to request for continuance. We'll begin one moment. We will now move to our agenda for the day as a note to the public. We'll begin with item two, then item one, and then finally item three. Not agenda public comment will be heard at the end of our meeting after agenda items. Tyler, please introduce number two. Thank you very much, sir. Item number two informational presentation on mental health bed providers. If you are watching BSC TV or the live stream online and would like to call on the meeting to speak on this item, please do 1669-254-5252 and one prompted input webinar ID 1603812925 pound. Chair.
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