Good morning.

Welcome everyone to the Health and Human Development Committee meeting for February the 5th at 901 8M.

And Ms.

Clerk, could you please call the role?

Auto Woman Time.

Vice Chair Odenberg.

Auto Woman Sonier.

Present.

Auto Woman Cox Anthony.

Present.

Chair Boy.

Present.

Auto Woman's highest.

Vice Chair Odenberg.

We have three chairs and we have a quorum.

Thank you very much.

Committee meetings.

So moved.

Second.

Thank you.

Could uh you do roll call, please.

Audible science.

Vice Chair Odenberg.

Auto Woman Sonier.

Aye.

Auto Woman Cox Antwing.

Aye.

Chair Boy.

Aye.

Auto Woman Thais.

Vice Chair Odenberg.

We have three I votes.

Okay.

So now we have up for boys for review.

And I'm going to skip me to uh let our guest uh Auto Woman Ann Sweitzer present her board bill 134.

Thank you, uh Madam Chairwoman and members of the committee for hearing this bill today.

Uh this bill, if it looks familiar, that's because we did pass it a few months ago.

Uh now that we have um some clarification uh on occupied and non-occupied parcels for how that would move through the process and what the abatement process would look like, what the notification process would look like.

This is all in our efforts to make sure that um that the city, the forestry division is able to properly both abate uh issues with overgrowth on these parcels as well as uh put on appropriate fines and fees for these parcels.

So that is the only change in this bill from the version that was passed out of this committee uh a few months ago and did pass at the full board uh with almost um but I think there were two present votes perhaps, but everyone else was in favor of it.

So this is just further clarification to make sure that the the bill is um is as as good as possible for the ability to enforce uh the law.

Um and Caitlin Smith, who was really the mastermind behind uh working with forestry on this bill, is here to speak on behalf of the mayor's office uh and any other questions um we can answer as well.

So, madam chair, up to you if you are if you're ready to hear from Ms.

Smith from the mayor's office.

Yes, uh Ms.

Smith, did you have you wanted to add to that?

Uh yeah.

Uh do I need to be sworn in?

Yes.

So okay, you're on point.

So do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth uh so help you guys?

I do.

All right, thank you so much.

Could you give your full name, please?

Yeah, Caitlin Smith, policy advisor to the mayor.

Um, yeah, the mayor's office is fully in support of this bill.

It is as uh Alderman Schweitzer said, just a small update on how notification works on occupied versus non-occupied parcels.

Uh while we were uh doing the normal notification to vacant parcels every year.

They uh they were looking back at this bill and they wanted to make sure there was clarity uh in this specific section to make sure we were uh staying uh in line with this section while also doing what uh forestry normal normally does for non-occupied parcels, which is they only get one notification while occupied parcels get a notification anytime that there's a problem, and then they have that extra time to abate while non-occupied parcels do not.

Okay.

Alderman Oldenberg.

I don't, thank you, madam chair.

Uh Audewoman Alicia Sonier.

No questions.

I would just like to be edited as co-sponsor.

Okay.

Uh Auto Woman Jamie Cox Antwi.

Uh no questions from me.

That clarification makes sense, Caitlin.

Thank you.

Okay.

I think my and I think I had asked this before to Auto Woman Sweiser because my concern, I mean, the concern is the occupied, but the unoccupied.

So are we, and I think I asked that, and and I'm concerned.

We're not doing anything with LRA properties.

This is not um this is abatement still occurs on LRA properties, but this is for um privately owned properties in terms of how the um fines and fees work in this and the abatement uh section here.

But LRA properties are still getting um mowed as as on the schedule with forestry as part of their contract.

And so I think that's what my concern is with the challenge for uh forestry.

So we're at we at forestry still added to do these properties, but they can't keep up, and so I'm just trying to see uh where we are in regards to but that's another conversation because that's I'm just like you know, I I'm we can't accuse or hold people accountable if we're not accountable, and I think that's where I'm standing with this.

The city is not doing what they're supposed to do, which is LRA, but we're holding private owners accountable, and I support home private owners because trust me, we got some private owners that just totally neglect.

But I think you know, we have to set an example also.

So that that was my concern.

Yeah, I think that's really good feedback.

I do think forestry wants to improve their uh efforts around all abatement of either you know private or um LRA property.

Uh and I think that one of the goals of this this bill is to make it so that the there is more teeth when forestry does have to do an abatement so that there are uh fines on um property owners when there is overgrowth, so that hopefully they're able to use this as a tool to have to do less abatement when there is private property to have more time for other work that they do.

Okay, thank you, and I appreciate you uh being consistent and following through on this bill.

So on that note, uh, did you want to close or have any questions?

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chairwoman.

Um we did have uh many organizations write in in support of this bill uh when it was heard originally, and I believe, and I and I know they're all still in support, and I appreciate uh the time today to hear the bill.

Uh with that, and I do uh I would ask for your favorable consideration and a due pass recommendation for a board bill number 134.

Okay, and I'm on here as a co-sponsor, correct?

I think you were in the previous bill, and I'd of course love to have you as a co-sponsor again.

Yeah, we I would like to be added as a co-sponsor on this one also.

Can I make a motion to embank location?

Roll call previous road, no time just got on.

Yeah, objection, please.

Second made the motion originally.

Okay, and um, you second it?

Yep.

Auto woman thaez, vice chair oldenberg.

Auto woman Sonia.

Aye, alder woman cox and twin.

Uh Chair Boy.

I have four I votes.

Okay, congratulations.

Your bill has been embanked.

And so now you can move to your next level, Audder Woman Sweitzer.

Thank you so much.

Having the support of this committee uh means a lot.

I know that um you all are uh really thoughtful aldermen, so I appreciate the time.

Um so if if if there is a potential for a due pass recommendation of board bill 134, I would appreciate that motion to be made.

Thank you.

I'll make a motion that we pass board bill 134 with the due pass recommendation.

Sorry.

Previous row, no objection.

Okay, congratulations.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate your time.

All right, thank you.

Okay, next we have um I'll turn it over to my vice chair because uh it's board bill 133.

That's great.

Thank you, madam chair.

One board bill 133 is before us.

You may proceed, Alder Woman Boyd.

Uh thank you, uh Vice Chair and and Committee.

We have Board Bill 133 in front of us, and is the order.

Uh I'll do this.

Uh Clerk, could you please read the introduction?

Introduced by Woman Boyd or is recommended by the Board of Estimate and of course she may authorizing the commissioner of the Department of Health or her designee on behalf of the City of St.

Louis to enter into the FEMA crisis counseling program consulting agreement and to accept funds awarded appropriate and said funds and the amount of 78,253 and 69 and 60 cents authorized the Department of Health to expand the appropriated funds for allowed purposes and containing an emergency cost.

Thank you.

And so uh this bill is on behalf of uh the city, and we received it from the um FEMA for in regards to counseling and everybody knows the criticeness of what this tornado has done to our city and to the people in our community.

I do have two people here that can speak on it if the uh vice chair will allow.

Absolutely.

You proceed, uh Madam Chair.

They are recognized however you want, in what order you want them to speak.

Okay, thank you.

I just need you all to be sworn in.

Yeah, those would if those folks would come on camera and raise their right hand, please.

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth?

So hip you got.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

I do.

Thank you.

Uh uh Craig, could you please introduce yourself first and then you know you can speak.

Good morning, uh Alderwoman Boyd and uh Vice Chair Old and Berg, members of the committee.

Uh Craig Schmidt from the Department of Health, City of St.

Louis.

And just briefly uh before I, if it's okay to introduce Bo Richmond, who is the um who is heading up our behavioral health bureau.

Um, as the alder woman and chair uh indicated, uh, the devastation of the tornado is more than uh what can be seen by the eye.

Uh whenever we have an opportunity to get some funding, which is the case here from FEMA through the state and to a um uh Missouri Behavioral Health Council.

Uh there's an opportunity for some funding for uh halftime for a couple of the staff over at the Department of Health to work uh with individuals who have been um who are the survivors of the tornado and yet are looking for ways to gain education connection to resources and emotional support as well as other mental health opportunities.

And with that, I will turn it over to Mr.

Richmond, who can tell us in more detail uh what benefits this will be for the city and also for the survivors of the tornado, if that's okay.

Um certainly recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Schmidt.

Um good morning, everybody.

Uh yes, as uh Mr.

Schmidt mentioned, my name is Bo Richmond, and I presently serve in the St.

Louis City Department of Health as the Bureau Chief for the Behavioral Health Bureau.

Um so what I'd like to do is um I did a prepare statement.

I wanted to just provide an overview uh for everybody this morning because I think there's some details that maybe not everybody is familiar with.

Um so I'll just run through that um as quickly as I can.

Uh, but first of all, I want to say uh good morning, uh Madam Chairwoman, and uh like to thank you and the members of the Health and Human Development Committee uh for having me here today uh to provide an overview of the FEMA Crisis Counseling Program grant.

I'm incredibly thankful for having this opportunity to uh to get before you today, so thank you.

Um, as a way of background, uh following the May 16th tornado and specifically the June 10th uh disaster declaration, uh the Missouri Department of Mental Health in partnership with the City of St.

Louis Department of Health applied for the FEMA 487 Crisis Counseling Program grant, um also known as the CCP grant.

Um the approval process took a little bit of time and and after much anticipation.

Uh the grant was officially awarded to us on October 23rd of last year, so October 23rd, 2025.

Uh, I think it's really important to note um that aside of the financial impacts that were cited in the application, uh, the most powerful statements that were provided were truly tied to social impacts.

Um, and I'd like to read a few of those for you.

Um, as we know, there were fatalities as a result of this tornado, five in total, um, that were well publicized uh through media and other venues.

In regards to displacement, we know that thousands of residents were displaced from their homes due to the damage related to the tornado.

Community trauma, the event caused significant emotional and psychological distress, requiring community-based healing and support.

Disparities in recovery.

And as a result, a slow recovery process compared to other areas that were looked at.

And then one of the biggest pieces was the mental health challenges.

So as it relates to the grant, the immediate service period, also known as the ISP by FEMA, is put in place for the first 90 to 120 days following this award.

So that's the period where it actually allows us to go and do this work out in community.

Eventually there will be a second phase of the grant that's awarded.

This is known as the regular service period or the RSP.

And then that period extends for approximately nine months.

So if you if you put all of that together, it's usually about a year period that you have the grant and that you're able to use through that.

We have not been awarded the second um uh phase of that yet.

So with it being February, um, that nine-month period could extend further than we originally thought.

So just to let you all know that.

Uh funding, uh, which is one of the things we're talking about today.

Funding for this grant is used for multitude of things like training, uh, marketing, printed tools and resources, mileage reimburses, uh reimbursement, excuse me, and salaries.

Um, and a lot of that funding is used for these periods that I just mentioned.

As it pertains to the city specifically, and Mr.

Schmidt uh mentioned this earlier, it ties most heavily to us in terms of offsetting salaries and for mileage reimbursement uh for us.

So those are some of the things specifically that pertain to the work we're doing.

Ummediately after learning about the award, participating agencies were informed they could start hiring and allocating staff to perform crisis counseling work in our communities.

Uh and a formal training was provided by CCP content experts, and that took place between November 19th and November 21st.

So about a month after uh the award was granted because it took some time to coordinate that.

Uh there were approximately 40 participants in the training, and they were representative of the following agencies.

Um, just to be clear that I want to make sure you guys know who those are.

Um, Boot Heel Behavioral Health, BJC Behavioral Health, People's Health Center, Places for People, Queen of Peace, St.

Louis City Department of Health, Freedom Community Center, In Power Institute, and the Restorative Uh Justice Movement.

Um so those are the agencies that are involved in this work and who we routinely meet with.

Excuse me.

Um I'm happy to announce that really following the training, several activities have been implemented since then.

We do have weekly calls.

So every Monday we round with each other as agencies and talk about the work that's being done in the community, how we can support each other, um, where particular attention needs to be paid to.

So those are highly valuable, highly critical meetings, and as I said, they're once a week, every week.

Uh we also use an online tool uh known as Base Camp to communicate information in real time.

So anytime anybody, myself included, wants to post something for all those agencies and groups, we have a mechanism to do that.

And it's utilized frequently, which is wonderful.

So could be that it's notification of an event, could be notification of additional resources that need to be distributed or utilized.

Um, so it's it's a huge value add to have that.

Uh, we're also utilizing social media posts, handing out uh physical resources and tabling at events.

Um, and for those that maybe aren't familiar, we we're not publicizing this publicly as the CCP grant, but rather when it's in community, it's it's show me hope, Missouri.

So if you've ever seen those billboards or you've seen those materials, that's specifically how it's referenced in community.

Um we also canvas routinely in community.

Canvassing includes going to businesses, places of worship, local libraries, health fairs, and all sorts of other points in between, um just to make sure we're covering the spread.

Um, and then something that uh we just instituted and I've just started to join is I do join bi-weekly meetings with FEMA.

Um I think that's really important because then we're able to share with them how is the funding being used for the different different agencies, uh, what is the operation look like, and and all points in between.

So Mr.

Schmidt mentioned this earlier.

Ultimately, the goal of this work is to meet people where they're at in their respective communities, um to learn more about their experiences and needs and to make referrals whenever possible, which is done quite often.

Um and all of the activities that we're involved in are focused on outreach and linkage to care.

Um this is an incredibly vital program, which I think you all are aware of, and it's really been put in place to support the city and the county residents uh with an emphasis on those survivors in the tornado impacted area.

Um so I do have um some data I'm happy to share.

If you want me to walk through that, I'd love to do that.

If if not, I could certainly provide it when you uh go through QA.

Um, but I'd really like to thank you all for your time today.

I appreciate getting in front of you and being able to share a little bit more about this program.

Thank you, Mr.

Richmond.

Uh Alder Woman Board, if it's alright at this time, I'll go through the the uh committee members and see if they have any questions of either you as a sponsor or Mr.

Richmond or Mr.

Schmidt at this time.

So uh you bet.

Alder Woman Sonier, any questions for our presenters or the sponsor?

Um, I don't have any questions.

I just really wanted to go on record and just note um how phenomenal I think it is that we are receiving these funds.

I know that one of the largest effects in addition to losing everything in the natural disaster are absolutely the psychological effects of the disaster.

And so I think it's incredible that we've been able to receive you know this declaration and there will be some opportunity for some community-based outreach and educational services.

Um so I don't have any questions.

I just really thank the sponsor for her leadership, the department for their leadership.

And I would actually like to um make a motion to embank.

So we'll we'll get to that for sure.

Absolutely.

Uh, I'll entertain the motion to invent here at the end if that's all right with you all.

Thank you.

Uh Alder Woman Cox Antoine.

Any questions of our presenters or the sponsor, please.

Uh yes, thank you, Mr.

Vice Chair.

Uh, one question for you, uh, Mr.

Richmond.

Could you repeat the total amount that we're receiving with this portion of the grant again?

Yes, I actually don't have that right in front of me.

I apologize.

It's 78 78,253 and 66.

Thank you, Mr.

Schmidt.

Every penny counts.

It really does.

Yes.

Thank you, Mr.

Schmidt.

And yeah, I just wanted to clarify that.

Um, obviously, like echoing everything Audown Sonier said, I know there's a lot of work to do in this space, and I know we certainly need all the support that we can, and we're um grateful to FEMA for of course this allocation, but I hope that we continue to receive the assistance that we need.

I know you mentioned there would be additional phases, um, because obviously all the support that we can get to the department is really essential in getting these resources out to the community.

Uh so with that, I don't have any further questions.

Great.

Thank you.

Well, well said by both my colleagues and uh fellow members here.

Uh Mr.

Richmond, Mr.

Schmidt, I just want to thank you for your service to the health department, to the city, to public health in general, uh, intersheparding these funds uh uh to the city and getting it to the folks that need it the most.

So appreciate you both.

Thank you.

I have nothing.

Uh Alder Woman Boyd, you'd be recognized to close here.

You were going to do the embankment.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you.

Keeping me honest, I'll entertain a motion to embank that all our names can get added to this.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded.

Uh, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

You're on mute.

Alder Woman's highest.

Vice Chair Odenberg.

Hi.

Alder Woman Sonier.

Aye.

Alder Woman Cox Antoine.

Aye.

Alder Woman Boy.

Aye.

We have four items.

Great.

Perfect.

Uh, everyone's added to it.

Now, Alder Woman, you are recognized to close uh with the do pass recommendation.

Thank you, uh, committee.

And I asked for the uh recommendations to pass Board Bill 133.

I make a motion that we pass Board Bill 133 with the due pass recommendation.

Second.

It's been moved and seconded.

We pass Board Bill 133 with the due pass recommendation.

Previous role.

It's been a request for previous role.

Any objections?

No, having said, congratulations.

133 is passed out with the due pass recommendation.

Thank you all.

Thank you all so much.

Great.

Uh chair, I'll turn it back over to you.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice Chair.

Uh thank you, Craig, and thank you, Mr.

Richmond.

We really appreciate you all coming forward and giving us the information that helps our community.

And so we look forward to the assistance that's going to be out there for those people.

And it seems like behavior health has been really busy.

Yes, ma'am.

Uh they're keeping me on my toe.

Yeah, I think I had more hair uh before, too.

But yeah, no, it, you know, and this is um, I have to tell you, I came from a different industry before this, and I've told people many, many times.

Um, this work is the most meaningful work I've ever been involved with in my life.

Um, and I feel very thankful for that.

I feel equally thankful I've been able to present in front of all you today.

So I appreciate everything that you're doing and the endorsement.

Thank you, Mr.

Richmond and Mr.

Schmidt.

And on that note, we don't have any resolutions for review.

We have any committee discussions.

Yeah, no.

Uh any announcements?

Any written testimonies?

I'm sorry.

Yeah, no.

Okay.

We have any members need to make announcements.

Okay.

We'll excuse Ottawa and Tyus for necessary absence.

Uh could we get a motion to adjourn?

Still move.

Second.

Thank you.

Have a great day.