>>> GOOD MORNING, SPECIAL
MEETING OF THE HUMAN SERVICES,
LABOR, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE OF THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER. IT
IS 9:32 A.M., MAY 29, 2026. I'M
COUNCILMEMBER ALEXIS MERCEDES
RINCK, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
WILL THE COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> CHAIR RINCK? HAD
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR FOSTER?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FIVE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE
TO APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. HELLO, EVERYONE. TODAY
IN COMMITTEE, WE'LL HAVE THREE
ITEMS THAT INCLUDE A BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION VOTE ON THE
RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM THE
APPOINTMENT OF DR. SANDRA
VALENCIANO AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY.
PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR POSITION
IS UNIQUE IN THAT THEY MUST BE
CONFIRMED BY BOTH THE SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL AND THE KING COUNTY
COUNCIL, AS THEY REPORT TO THE
MAYOR AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE. THE
KING COUNTY COUNCIL'S COMMITTEE
OF THE WHOLE VOTED TO CONFIRM
DR. VALENCIANO'S APPOINTMENT
EARLIER THIS WEEK, SO WE'RE
HEADED TOWARDS ALIGNMENT WITH
OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'LL HAVE A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON THE
RESOLUTION UPDATING POLICIES FOR
ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING
PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
AREAS, VIAs. WE WILL NOT BE
VOTING ON THIS TODAY. WE WILL
VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION AT THE
NEXT MEETING. THEY'VE BEEN AWAY
FOR OUR CITY SMALL BUSINESSES TO
RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
ADVOCATE, AND BUILD COMMUNITY
THROUGHOUT NEIGHBORHOODS. OED
WILL TALK ABOUT THEIR
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WORKING
WITH DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, AND
CITY STAFF, IN ORDER TO RECEIVE
FEEDBACK, AND WAYS TO MAKE THE
CITY WIDE POLICIES MORE CLEAR.
MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE OED TEAM,
WHO ARE REALLY EXCITED TO
PRESENT ON THESE CHANGES IN
ORDER TO PROVIDE CLARITY FOR OUR
LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. I ALSO
WANT TO THANK THERESA, ISAAC,
CASEY, AND THE REST OF THE OED
TEAM AS WELL, AS JASMINE MARWAHA
AND KENNY ON MY TEAM, FOR ALL
THEIR WORK ON THIS, AND THEIR
CONTINUOUS EFFORTS SUPPORTING
OUR CITY'S SMALL BUSINESSES.
THEN WE WILL HAVE A BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION FROM OUR PARTNERS AT
KING COUNTY, REGARDING THE
STATUS OF THE CRISIS CARE LEVY
IMPLEMENTATION. AS A REMINDER,
THE VOTERS ACROSS KING COUNTY
APPROVED THIS LEVY IN 2023 TO
ADDRESS OUR REGION'S GROWING
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS. I
UNDERSTAND THE FIRST CRISIS CARE
CENTER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY
OPERATING IN KIRKLAND FOR SOME
TIME NOW, SO I AM PERSONALLY
EXCITED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT
WILL BE COMING ONLINE IN SEATTLE
THIS YEAR, LATER THIS YEAR, WITH
THE CAPITAL HILL FIRST HILL AREA
CRISIS CARE CENTER. SO THANK YOU
TO OUR COUNTY PARTNERS AT DCHS
FOR PROVIDING THIS UPDATE TO
THIS COMMITTEE TODAY. WITH THAT,
WE WILL NOW OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. PUBLIC
COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO ITEMS
ON TODAY'S AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
PER VIEW OF THE COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP FOR TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONE
IN-PERSON SPEAKER AND ONE REMOTE
SPEAKER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. EACH
SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
WE WILL START WITH IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS FIRST. CLERK, CAN YOU
PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT
INSTRUCTIONS?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO 60
MINUTES. SPEAKER WILLS BE CALLED
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY'RE
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL
ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS OF
IN-PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS
UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
HAS ENDED. PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING
BY STATING YOUR NAME AND THE
ITEM YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT ON THEIR
TIME. SPEAKER MICS WILL BE MUTED
IF THEY DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
IS NOW OPEN, AND WE'LL BEGIN
WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE
LIST.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR FIRST
IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS AARON
GOODMAN.
>> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING,
MY NAME IS ERIN GOODMAN, AND
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE SODO BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
AREA. I'M HERE TO PROVIDE SOME
CONTEXT AND SUPPORT FOR THE
OED'S PROPOSED UPDATES TO THE
CITY WIDE POLICIES. THESE
UPDATES ARE THE RESULTS OF YEARS
OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN BIA
LEADERS AND CITY STAFF,
INCLUDING AN INTENSIVE REVIEW
PROCESS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE
GOAL WAS TO ENSURE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY,
WHILE ALSO SIMPLIFYING WHAT CAN
BE A CUMBERSOME AND COMPLEX
PROCESS FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND
BUSINESS DISTRICTS, SEEKING TO
BUILD LOCAL CAPACITY THROUGH
FORMATION OR REMOVAL OF THE BIA.
SEATTLE'S BIAs ARE INCREDIBLY
DIVERSE. WE EACH OPERATE UNDER
DIFFERENT ORDINANCES, ASSESSMENT
STRUCTURES, AND WORK PLANS,
DESIGNED TO MEET THE UNIQUE
NEEDS OF OUR DISTRICTS. THIS IS
WHAT MAKES BIAs SO SPECIAL.
BECAUSE OF THIS, UPDATING THESE
POLICIES REQUIRE NUANCE TO
ENSURE THAT THE CHANGES WOULD
SUPPORT ALL DISTRICTS WITHOUT
CREATING UNINTENDED BARRIERS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THESE
CONVERSATIONS WERE THOROUGH AND
AT TIMES SPIRITED. BUT THAT
COLLABORATION MADE THE FINAL
PRODUCT STRONGER. THE RESULT IS
A POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT IS
EASIER TO UNDERSTAND, EASIER TO
NAVIGATE, AND BETTER ALIGNED
WITH HOW BIAs ACTUALLY OPERATE.
THE PROPOSED CHANGES REDUCE
UNNECESSARY PROCEDURAL BURDENS
AND MINOR MODIFICATION, WHILE
PRESERVING APPROPRIATE OVERSIGHT
AND RATE PAYER INPUT. THESE
UPDATES ALSO BENEFIT
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE
CONSIDERING FORMING A BIA IN THE
FUTURE. BY CLARIFYING
REQUIREMENTS AND STREAMLINING
PROCESSES, THE CITY IS MAKING IT
EASIER FOR COMMUNITIES TO BUILD
LOCAL CAPACITY AND INVEST IN
THEIR DISTRICTS. I WANT TO THANK
OED STAFF AND MY FELLOW BIA
LEADERS FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, AND
ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE TO
SUPPORT THESE UPDATES. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ERIN. THAT WAS OUR
FINAL IN-PERSON SPEAKER, SO NOW
WE'LL BE MOVING TO OUR ONLINE
SPEAKERS. CLERK, WHO DO WE HAVE
ONLINE FOR US?
>> DAVID HAINES.
>> ALL RIGHT, OUR FIRST REMOTE
SPEAKER IS DAVID HAINES. DAVID,
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX WHEN YOU
HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> HI, THANK YOU, DAVID HAINES.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE NEVER GOT
THE HONEST FORTHRIGHT DILIGENT
OVERSIGHT OF THE HUMAN SERVICES
PROVIDERS. NOW WE HAVE A
PROACTIVE RACIST WHO IS
LITERALLY UNDERMINING PUBLIC
SAFETY BY REACHING OUT BEYOND
THEIR BOUNDS, AND LITERALLY
USING HUMAN SERVICES MONEY TO
PAY CRIMINALS TO RELOCATE IF
THEY DON'T RETALIATE. PAYING
CRIMINALS FREE RENT IF THEY
DON'T ROB SOMEBODY. AND YOU ALL
ARE ALLOWING IT BECAUSE OF A
BUNCH OF RACIST PROTESTERS WHO
SHOW UP AT CITY COUNCIL AND
INTIMIDATE YOU ALL, CAUSING YOU
TO THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. THE
HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS
BEEN WEAPONIZED BY RACISTS WHO
HAVE AN AGENDA TO RUN
INTERFERENCE FOR REPEATED
DEFENDERS, CONNECTED TO THE
CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD, WHILE ONLY
PRIORITIZING SELF-DESTRUCTIVE
MORAL PROFITABLE REPEAT
OFFENDERS, IF THEY CLAIM DRUGS
MADE THEM DO IT. THEIR CRISIS
CARE CENTER IS FAILING MISERABLY
TO LITERALLY BREAK THE
ADDICTION, AS OPPOSED TO MAKING
A LOT OF MORE MONEY, ALLOWING
PEOPLE TO REPEAT THEIR FAILURES
BECAUSE THERE'S A FLAW IN THE
SYSTEM. AND YOU ALL ARE
PURPOSELY ALLOWING IT BECAUSE
IT'S MORE PROFITABLE FOR YOUR
POLITICAL ALLIES TO GO THROUGH
THE MOTIONS AND CONSTANTLY
GOUGE MEDICAID AS OPPOSED TO
BREAKING THE ADDICTION WITH THE
PROPER APPROACH. YOU KNOW WHEN
YOU SEND SOME REPEAT OFFENDER
WHO CAUSED A LOT OF 911 CALLS TO
THE CRISIS CARE CENTER, AND THEN
THEY GET ALL SPUN OUT ON FREE
NARCOTICS. THEY COME OUT TO THE
BUS STOP IN KIRKLAND, TRASH THE
PLACE, GET ON THE 255 BUS,
HEADED BACK TO THE U-DISTRICT,
AND THEY'RE WIGGING OUT.
THEY'VE GOT THIS EVIL DEMON OF
INTROVERTED FRUSTRATION THAT'S
LASHING OUT IN UNCONTROLLABLE
MANNERS ON THE BUS, SKETCHING
EVERYBODY OUT. BUT YET THEY HAVE
NOWHERE TO GO. BUT IF THEY DO GO
SOMEWHERE, A CASE MANAGER
HAPPENS TO GET AN I.D. TO MOVE
IT TO MORE PROFITABLE HOUSING.
IT'S NOT BREAKING THE
ADDICTION.
>> ALL RIGHT, THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
ITEM S OF BUSINESS. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE INTO
THE RECORD?
>> ITEM ONE, APPOINTMENT 03497,
APPOINTMENT OF SANDRA
VALENCIANO, AS DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC HEALTH, SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY. BRIEFING, DISCUSSION,
AND POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> WELCOME. IF YOU CAN TAKE A
MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD, AND THEN PLEASE
PROCEED?
>> SURE, FOR THE RECORD, MARK
SOLOMON MARX, I'M THE DEPUTY
DIRECTOR FOR MAYOR WILSON'S
OFFICE.
>> GOOD MORNING, DR. SANDRA
VALENCIANO, HEALTH OFFICER AND
ACTING DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY.
>> GREAT, GOOD MORNING. WELL,
I'M WITH YOU AGAIN, INTRODUCING
ANOTHER STUPENDOUS PERSON FOR
SERVICE, PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE
COUNTY AND IN THE CITY. AND
TODAY, WE HAVE DR. SANDRA
VALENCIANO WHO IS THE NOMINEE TO
SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
HEALTH. I CAN SAFELY SAY SHE,
AMONG THE CANDIDATES WE HAVE
TALKED TO YOU ABOUT. SHE IS
CLEARLY HIGHLY QUALIFIED AMONG
THE MOST QUALIFIED, AND I'M
SURE YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO LOOK THROUGH HER MATERIALS
THAT SHE PROVIDED. SO DR.
VALENCIANO JOINS SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH WITH A
STRONG RECORD IN PUBLIC SERVICE,
PUBLIC LEADERSHIP, AND A DEEP
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY. HER
QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE LEADING
THE DEKALB COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT AT THE FOURTH MOST
POPULOUS COUNTY IN GEORGIA, AND
DEMONSTRATES THE READINESS TO
GUIDE A LARGE COMPLEX PUBLIC
HEALTH TEAM. I'LL QUICKLY GO
OVER DR. VALENCIANO'S EDUCATION
AND EXPERIENCE. SHE HOLDS A
BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN COMMUNITY
HEALTH FROM BROWN UNIVERSITY. A
MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM
TULANE, AND AN M.D. FROM BOSTON
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
SHE ALSO SERVED AND COMPLETED A
CDC FELLOWSHIP, FOCUSED ON
EPIDEMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICES,
BOTH WORKING NATIONALLY,
INTERNATIONALLY WITH A ROLE IN
THE CDC. PRIOR TO COMING TO THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, SHE SERVED, AS
I SAID EARLIER, DIRECTOR OF
DEKALB PUBLIC HEALTH, SERVING
RESIDENTS IN GEORGIA, AND
MANAGING A $52 MILLION BUDGET.
SHE ALSO, WHILE THERE SERVED AS
THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE EFFORT AS
THE INCIDENT COMMANDER FOR
COVID-19, LEADING TESTING,
VACCINATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS,
AND OPERATIONAL COORDINATION.
AND SHE IS ALSO WORKED AS THE --
EXCUSE ME, STRATEGIC PLANNING
EFFORTS, DEVELOPING
MULTI-STRATEGIC PLANS,
STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE
CAPACITY, IMPROVE SERVICE
DELIVERY, AND ADVANCED
MEASURABLE HEALTH OUTCOMES. I
ALSO WANT TO DIRECT YOU, IF YOU
HAD A MOMENT, TO TAKE A LOOK AT
DR. VALENCIANO'S EXTENSIVE
RESUME, WHICH GOES ON TO 13
PAGES. IT IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. I
WAS READING THROUGH IT THIS
MORNING, AND I CAME ACROSS UNDER
THE PUBLICATION SECTION, THE
FOLLOWING PUBLICATION FROM 2021.
AND IT WAS THE AFFECTS OF A
VACCINE ON PNEUMONIA, NASAL
CARRIED AMONG CHILDREN LESS THAN
FIVE YEARS OLD AND THREE YEARS
POST COVID OR POST INTRODUCTION.
I WILL TELL YOU, I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THAT MEANS. OTHER THAN IN A
TIME WHEN SCIENCE IS BEING
QUESTIONED, WHEN THE VALIDITY OF
CARRYING FOR OTHERS, BOTH
NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY
IS UNDER ATTACK EVERY DAY. I
THINK WHAT IT SAYS TO ME, SHE IS
THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD OUR
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND
CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE HEALTH OF
OUR COMMUNITY AND OF THE
INDIVIDUALS. AND SO WITH THAT,
REALLY, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO
TURN IT OVER TO DR. VALENCIANO
TO SHARE HER OWN EXPERIENCE AND
QUALIFICATIONS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, MARK. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIR RINCK AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE
TODAY. IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO
BE CONSIDERED FOR THE ROLE AS
DIRECTOR IN SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY. PUBLIC SERVICE HAS BEEN
DEEPLY PERSONAL TO ME. I GREW UP
IN A LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD WITH
LIMITED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE. I
WAS A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE
STUDENT, WHO EXPERIENCED
FIRSTHAND HOW INEQUITIES IN
EDUCATION, HOUSING, ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES, AND HEALTHCARE
CAN SHAPE THE TRAJECTORY OF
PEOPLES LIVES. THOSE EARLY
EXPERIENCES TAUGHT ME THAT
HEALTH IS ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN
MEDICINE. IT IS ABOUT THE
CONDITIONS, IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE
BORN, GROW, LIVE, WORK, AND AGE.
THAT UNDERSTANDING ULTIMATELY
LED ME TO PURSUE A CAREER, WHERE
I COULD COMBINE CLINICAL
MEDICINES, SCIENCE, AND SYSTEMS
LEADERSHIP IN SERVICE OF
COMMUNITIES. OVER THE COURSE OF
MY CAREER, I HAVE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS A
PHYSICIAN, INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
OFFICER, PUBLIC HEALTH LEADER,
AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF
THE LARGE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY
IN DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA, WHERE
MARK MENTIONED, I OVERSAW ALL
THE OPERATIONS OF THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING OUR
CLINICAL SERVICES, EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH,
COMMUNICATIONS, POLICY, AND A
WORKFORCE RESPONSIBLE FOR
PROTECTING COMMUNITY HEALTH IN
COMPLEX AND RAPIDLY CHANGING
CIRCUMSTANCES. I MUST ADMIT I
WAS A LITTLE BIT CRAZY TO TAKE
THAT ROLE IN THE MIDST OF A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC. COLLEAGUES HAVE
DESCRIBED MY LEADERSHIP AS
PRAGMATIC, ADAPTABLE, AND HANDS
ON. I BELIEVE IN LEADING WITH
SCIENCE, ACTING WITH INTEGRITY,
MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS WHEN
NEEDED, AND BUILDING STRONG
TEAMS THAT CAN DELIVER
MEANINGFUL PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT.
WHAT EXCITES ME MOST ABOUT THIS
OPPORTUNITY IS THAT PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY
IS ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADING
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WITH A
LONG HISTORY OF INNOVATION,
EQUITY CENTERED WORK, AND
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. MY VISION
IS TO BUILD ON THAT STRONG
FOUNDATION, AND ENSURE PUBLIC
HEALTH REMAINS TRUSTED, MODERN,
AND RESPONSIVE IN A CHANGING
WORLD, ESPECIALLY AMONG WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL. OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL YEARS, I BELIEVE OUR
WORK MUST FOCUS ON A FEW
CRITICAL PRIORITIES. FIRST, WE
MUST CONTINUE TO CENTER HEALTH
EQUITY AND ANTI-RACISM IN OUR
POLICIES, INVESTMENTS, AND
OUTCOMES, ENSURING COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN LEFT
BEHIND SEE MEASURABLE
IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH AND WELL
BEING. SECOND, WE MUST
STRENGTHEN AND MODERNIZE OUR
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
FROM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TO DATA
SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATIONS, SO
WE ARE READY FOR FUTURE
CHALLENGES. THIRD, WE MUST BE
DISCIPLINED STEWARDS OF PUBLIC
RESOURCES, ENSURING OUR CLINICS,
PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES ARE
SUSTAINABLE, EFFICIENT, AND
DELIVERING THE GREATEST PUBLIC
HEALTH VALUE TO RESIDENTS WHO
DEPEND ON THEM. AT THE HEART OF
MY VISION IS A SIMPLE BELIEF.
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKS BEST WHEN IT
IS SCIENCE DRIVEN, COMMUNITY
CENTERED, AND GROUNDED IN TRUST.
MY GOAL WOULD BE TO HELP PUBLIC
HEALTH SEATTLE IN KING COUNTY
CONTINUE TO BE A NATIONAL
LEADER, WHILE ENSURING EVERY
RESIDENT, REGARDLESS OF
BACKGROUND, NEIGHBORHOOD, OR
CIRCUMSTANCE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LIVE A HEALTHY AND THRIVING
LIFE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY. I LOOK FORWARD TO
OUR CONVERSATION TODAY.
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU, MR.
ELLERBROOK, AND THANK YOU DR.
VALENCIANO FOR BEING BEFORE
COMMITTEE TODAY. COLLEAGUES, IF
YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO
WORK CLOSELY YET WITH DR.
VALENCIANO, I'LL JUST SPEAK
PERSONALLY AS A BOARD OF HEALTH
MEMBER THIS YEAR, ALONGSIDE VICE
CHAIR FOSTER AND COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE
GETTING TO KNOW YOU, DR.
VALENCIANO, AND SEE YOUR WORK
THROUGH THAT BOARD. I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO BE VOTING ON YOUR
APPOINTMENT HERE ON COMMITTEE
TODAY. COLLEAGUES, I'D LIKE TO
PASSED IT OVER TO YOU FOR WHAT
KIND OF QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE
FOR DR. VALENCIANO? COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR RINCK AND
THANK YOU MR. ELLERBROOK FOR
BEING HERE, AND DR. VALENCIANO
FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. HAD A
CHANCE TO MEET AND CONNECT AND
TALK. ONE OF THE THINGS, JUST
REALLY EXCITED FOR YOUR
APPOINTMENT. COULD YOU SHARE ON
THE RECORD, DR. VALENCIANO, JUST
SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WHEN
WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
VISIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY AND
WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU, SO
PEOPLE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT
PUBLIC HEALTH IS, WHAT YOU DO
WITH THE PROGRAMS YOU OFFER, AND
JUST BEING MORE VISIBLE TO KING
COUNTY RESIDENTS, SEATTLE
RESIDENTS, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS
LIKE? THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR LESS
THAN A YEAR. I STARTED IN MY
CURRENT ROLE AS HEALTH OFFICER
IN AUGUST. DURING MY SHORT TIME
HERE, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ENGAGE WITH A VARIETY OF
STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT OUR
COUNTY AND OUTSIDE OF OUR
COUNTY. SO FOR STARTERS, WHEN I
FIRST STARTED, OF COURSE, MY
PRIORITY WAS TO FIRST CONNECT
INTERNALLY WITH OUR LEADERSHIP
TEAM, GET A VERY DEEP
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PUBLIC
HEALTH IS STRUCTURED AT THE
COUNTY, ALL OF THE WORK THAT
HAPPENS WITHIN OUR DIFFERENT
DIVISIONS AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO
MEET WITH DIFFERENT TEAMS. I
WENT OUT ON A RESTAURANT
INSPECTION. I DID AN EMS RIDE
ALONG WITH OUR EMS TEAM. I
VISITED OUR JAIL. I VISITED MOST
OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS,
AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THE INTERNAL
WORK THAT WE DO, I'VE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
LEADERSHIP, MEETING WITH
SECRETARY, AS WELL AS OUR STATE
HEALTH OFFICER AND STATE
EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, MAKING SURE WE
HAVE STRONG CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND STATE
PUBLIC HEALTH. I'VE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY OF ALSO MEETING WITH
ALL OF THE CEOs AND LEADERSHIP
OF OUR LARGE HEALTH SYSTEMS,
INCLUDING HARBORVIEW HOSPITAL,
AND DOING THE TOUR OF
HARBORVIEW. ACADEMIC MEDICINE IS
ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, SO
ACTUALLY RECENTLY IN APRIL, I
RECEIVED MY ADJUNCT FACULTY
POSITIONS AND APPOINTMENTS
WITHIN THE DIVISION OF JOURNAL
AND INTERNAL MEDICINE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, AS
WELL AS IN THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC
HEALTH. I'VE MET WITH LEADERS
FROM THE NORTHWEST HEALTHCARE
RESPONSE NETWORK, THE KING
COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY, I'M A
MEMBER OF THE KING COUNTY
SOCIETY AS WELL AS THE
WASHINGTON STATE MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION. I'VE CONNECTED
WITH OUR WASHINGTON AMERICAN
COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS CHAPTER.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE CHAPTER AS
AN INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN.
TRYING TO SEE. LIST IS LONG. OF
COURSE, I TRIED TO MEET WITH AS
MANY OF OUR KING COUNTY COUNCIL
MEMBERS, AS WELL AS SEATTLE
COUNCIL MEMBERS. HAVING BEEN
APPOINTED IN THE ACTING DIRECTOR
ROLE, I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE
MAYOR'S CABINET IN ATTENDING
CABINET MEETINGS, AS WELL AS THE
MAYOR'S EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE
BOARD MEETINGS. I'VE TRIED TO
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHO I
AM, WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH DOES THAT
WE ARE VISIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION, OF
COURSE, THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. I'VE MET WITH OUR
HEALTH EQUITY AND ANTI-RACISM
COMMITTEE ADVISORY GROUP, AS
WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH
IMPROVEMENT PLAN PARTNERS, WHO
ARE WORKING ON OUR CHIP PLAN.
AND THEN AS WELL AS ENGAGING
WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
QUARTERLY UPDATES THAT WE DO.
DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION, I
ALSO TESTIFIED BEFORE THIS STATE
AND HOUSE TO PROTECT VACCINE
ACCESS FOR THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON. SO JUST A NUMBER OF,
YOU KNOW, ENGAGEMENT ACROSS A
VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR
COMMUNITY BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH
DOES NOT WORK IN A VACUUM,
RIGHT? PUBLIC HEALTH WORKS BEST
THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH A
VARIETY OF OUR PARTNERS, AND
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME,
MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW
WHAT WE DO, WHERE WE DO IT, HOW
WE DO IT, AND THEN HOW CAN WE DO
THINGS BETTER? AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH,
IS MY DESIRE TO MAKING SURE I
PRESENT TO THE ENTIRE CITY OF
SEATTLE COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT
YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE LATEST
DATA IN TERMS OF THE HEALTH OF
KING COUNTY, SPECIFICS ON
PRIORITY ISSUES FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, AS WELL AS A DEEP
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT PUBLIC
HEALTH DOES BECAUSE THAT'S ONE
OF MY CONCERNS, AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS
WHAT THE VARIETY OF SERVICES AND
PROGRAMS THAT PUBLIC HEALTH
PROVIDES.
>> AWESOME. IF I MAY, CHAIR,
JUST ONE MORE QUESTION?
>> PLEASE, PROCEED.
>> THANK YOU. IT IS AMAZING, AND
I LOVE IT BECAUSE THAT THE
VISIBILITY MATTERS IN THESE
SPACES IN CONNECTING THE DOTS,
AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS
SUPER QUICK. BEEN HERE FOR A
YEAR, AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST
GETTING YOUR FEET SET AND
CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE. BUT HAS
THERE BEEN SOMETHING WHERE
YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS A
GROWTH EDGE THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS IN OUR SYSTEM?
ESPECIALLY YOU'VE BEEN IN
GEORGIA, YOU'VE BEEN IN
ATLANTA, YOU HAVE ON THE FRONT
LINES OF COVID-19. LIKE YOU'VE
DONE A LOT. IS THERE SOMETHING
YOU'VE SEEN IN SEATTLE AND KING
COUNTY, EXCUSE ME, THAT YOU FEEL
LIKE THERE'S A GROWTH EDGE THAT
WE NEED TO ADDRESS FAIRLY
QUICKLY? TO JUST MAKE IT
FUNCTIONING AND WORK BETTER?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
ACTUALLY IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICE IN
MY FIRST EARLY MONTHS THAT I WAS
HERE AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW,
AFTER MEETING A VARIETY OF
FOLKS. I HAD ASKED ONE OF OUR
STAFF MEMBERS WHO WORKS ON OUR
OPIOID PREVENTION EFFORTS. IS
THERE A TASK FORCE THAT BRINGS
TOGETHER LIKE ALL OF THE FOLKS
WORKING ON OPIOID RELATED WORK,
AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE WORK, AND
ALL THE FOLKS WORKING ON
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH? OUR
HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS IN THE CITY
AND THE COUNTY, ETC.? AND HE
SAID, OH, THAT'S FUNNY. WE USED
TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT
ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO. IT WAS THE
OPIOID AND HEROIN ADDICTION TASK
FORCE. WE CAME UP WITH SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THAT'S WHAT
LED TO SOME OF THE WORK BEING
DONE HERE. AND I SAID, OH, YOU
KNOW, THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO. IT
MIGHT BE TIME TO BRING SOMETHING
LIKE THAT TOGETHER, RIGHT? AND
THEN EXECUTIVE WAS ELECTED, AND
ONE OF HIS PRIORITIES WAS
BREAKING THE CYCLE WORK GROUP,
WHICH I'M ONE OF THE COCHAIRS
OF, ALONG WITH MY COUNTERPART.
AND SO IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE WHEN
HE ASKED US FOR POLICY IDEAS, I
BROUGHT THIS UP, AND HE SAID
FUNNY YOU SAY THAT. I'M GOING
TO BE PUTTING OUT AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER TO PUT EVERYONE TOGETHER.
SO WE ACTUALLY JUST LAUNCHED
THAT THIS WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, AND
BROUGHT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, ROOM
FULL OF, GOSH, OVER 40 DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THIS WORK,
SURROUNDING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, HOMELESSNESS,
AND IN PART TO MAKE SURE THAT A,
THERE IS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING,
BUT B, THAT WE REALLY WORK
TOGETHER AS OPPOSED TO
SEPARATELY AND IN SILOS, AND
FINDING OUT LIKE WHERE ARE THERE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO IMPROVE
WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SEE
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES IN OUR
COMMUNITY? AND ESPECIALLY FOR
THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE
MOST AT RISK, WHO HAVE JUST THE
HIGHEST, YOU KNOW, VULNERABILITY
AND MAYBE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AS WELL AS
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, AS
WELL AS TOUCH POINTS WITH THE
CRIMINAL LEGAL JUSTICE SYSTEM,
RIGHT? AND SO REALLY BRINGING
ALL OF THOSE FOLKS INTO THE SAME
ROOM TO HAVE THESE VERY
IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS AND HOW
WE MIGHT ALL WORK TOGETHER.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME WHEN I
FIRST GOT HERE. AND YOU KNOW,
WAS REALLY HOPING TO MAKE SURE
WE COULD MAKE SOME PROGRESS AND
COLLABORATE, SO I'M GLAD THAT
IS KICKING OFF. I WOULD SAY THE
OTHER THING THAT HAS COME UP
LATELY OR AT LEAST SINCE I
STARTED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN
A LOT THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND I WOULD
SAY KING COUNTY AND WASHINGTON
STATE HAVE HAD TO STEP UP IN
RESPONSE TO A LOT OF ACTIONS
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT
SCIENTIFIC, YOU KNOW, REASONING
OR WRAPAROUND, AND SO THAT HAS
HELPED TO BRING US TOGETHER, SO
THAT ALTHOUGH WE'RE IN A
DECENTRALIZED PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM, THAT KING COUNTY IS
DOING SOMETHING, AND SNOHOMISH
IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT, AND PIERCE COUNTY IS
GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THAT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE.
SO WE'RE COLLABORATING AND
CONNECTING, AND MAKING SURE
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, THAT
OUR MESSAGING IS ALIGNED, AND
THAT WE'RE ALIGNED WITH THE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE NEWLY
ESTABLISHED WEST COAST HEALTH
ALLIANCE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THAT'S ALL
I HAD. I'M JUST GLAD TO HEAR. I
OFTEN SAY THE COUNTY AND THE
CITY ARE TWO BIG ELEPHANTS
LOOKING AT EACH OTHER THROUGH A
STRAW. AND SO IT WOULD BE GREAT
TO GET RID OF THE STRAW, SO WE
CAN START LOOKING AT THE WHOLE
ELEPHANT AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE
WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH. COLLEAGUES, ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIR
FOSTER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. V. I'M
SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND YOUR EXPERTISE THAT YOU'RE
BRINGING TO THIS ROLE. AS VICE
CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH,
I'VE ALREADY HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOU IN
ACTION, AND AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT
SAID, YOU'RE TRULY EVERYWHERE.
I WANT TO ASK ONE QUESTION,
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
COMMUNICATION. AND I'LL SAY I
WAS SO PLEASED AND JUST
ABSOLUTELY IMPRESSED WITH HOW
YOU BOTH BRIEFED US AND HELPED
COMMUNICATE ABOUT THE HANTAVIRUS
AND THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE
AFFECTED HERE IN KING COUNTY,
AND PROVIDED ABSOLUTE CLARITY
AND PROFESSIONALISM. AND I'M
ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE CAN
THE ELEPHANT THROUGH A STRAW
METAPHOR THERE. I'M ALSO
CURIOUS ABOUT FROM YOUR
PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE CAN BE
DOING BETTER TO COMMUNICATION
HERE ON THE CITY SIDE? BECAUSE
WHILE YOU'RE IN THIS JOINT
ROLE, ARE THERE THINGS YOU WOULD
LIKE US TO KNOW AS COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND AS PARTNERS TO HELP
MAKE SURE WE ARE EFFECTIVELY
DISSEMINATING THE INFORMATION IN
REGARDS TO PUBLIC HEALTH?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT EVEN I'VE NOTICED,
RIGHT, AS WE PUT OUT
COMMUNICATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE,
WHEN WE PUT OUT OUR PRESS
RELEASE. I TOLD MY COMS TEAM,
OH, MAKE SURE WE SEND IT TO THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, RIGHT? IT IS
THIS OH, I'M IN A DUAL ROLE. SO
MAKING SURE WHEN WE ARE DOING
THINGS, WE ARE NOT JUST
COMMUNICATING THROUGH KING
COUNTY, BUT MAKING SURE THE CITY
IS AWARE OF CRITICAL PUBLIC
HEALTH UPDATES. ONE OF THE OTHER
THINGS THAT I RECENTLY ALSO
DISCUSSED WITH MY TEAM IS, I'M
GOING TO SAY IT BECAUSE IT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT COMING UP
WITH A NEWSLETTER THAT WOULD GO
OUT FOR ME TO OUR ELECTED
COUNCIL MEMBERS, NOT JUST AT THE
COUNCIL, BUT KING COUNTY
COUNCIL, AND HERE AT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OR WHAT
WILL BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF YOU
TO BE AWARE OF BECAUSE I REALLY
DO RELY ON ALL OF YOU AS YOU
COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR
CONSTITUENTS, MAKING SURE ANY
CRITICAL THING THAT NEEDS TO GO
OUT IN COMMUNITY, THAT YOU'RE
ALSO SHARING WITH THEM. I KNOW
SOMETIMES ON THE KING COUNTY
SIDE, WE DO HAVE COUNCILMEMBERS
WHO REACH OUT OR WANT
INFORMATION THEY COULD SHARE IN
THEIR NEWSLETTERS. SO ANY WAY WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE
SAME WAY, SO AS YOU SEND OUT
YOUR COMMUNICATION TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS, YOU MIGHT BE
INCLUDING A PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT
OR A COMMUNITY EVENT THAT IS
COMING UP WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT.
THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT
TO ME. IT IS SOMETHING I ALWAYS
WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY
IS AWARE OF WHEN WE'RE GOING TO
BE IN COMMUNITY. AND SO ANY WAY
IN WHICH WE CAN COLLABORATE ON
THAT, I WOULD DEFINITELY
APPRECIATE. WE ALSO HAVE SIMON
VILLA, WHO IS OUR LIAISON TO THE
CITY OF SEATTLE COUNCIL, SO WE
CAN DEFINITELY WORK ON WAYS TO
ENSURE THAT ANY COMMUNICATIONS
FROM OUR ENDS THAT WOULD NEED TO
GO THROUGH YOU ALL TO YOUR
CONSTITUENTS, WE SHARE, AND THEN
VICE VERSA TOO. ANYTHING THAT
YOU WANT ME TO KNOW OR THERE MAY
BE TIMES WHEN YOU'RE HOSTING AN
EVENT, AND YOU WOULD WANT
SOMEBODY FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TO
BE THERE JUST BASED ON THE
TOPIC. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE ENGAGING IN THE SAME
MANNER THAT WE ARE WITH KING
COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, DR. V, AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. FIRST OFF,
THANK YOU, MR. ELLERBROOK, DR.
VALENCIANO, APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY RECENTLY TO CONNECT
WITH YOU VIRTUALLY. YEAH, I
APPRECIATE YOUR WRITTEN
RESPONSES TO THE QUESTIONS,
INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY
QUESTIONS AROUND ADDRESSING
UNPERMITTED STREET VENDING. AND
KIND OF TIMELY BECAUSE TODAY IN
THIS MORNING'S SEATTLE TIMES
AND EDITORIAL WAS RELEASED BY
THE BOARD THAT SAYS SEATTLE MUST
ENFORCE RULES ON UNLICENSED
STREET FOOD. IT'S AN IMPORTANT
PRIORITY OF MY OFFICE. DURING
LAST FALL DURING THE ANNUAL
BUDGET PROCESS. WE ADDED FUNDING
TO ALLOW THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION, WHO ENFORCES,
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
UNPERMITTED ACTIVITY IN THE
PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. WE FUNDED
THREE POSITIONS, LIKE
ENFORCEMENT POSITIONS FOR THEIR
JET TEAM THAT DOES THAT CRITICAL
WORK, AND WE HAD A BRIEFING ON
THIS TOPIC A FEW WEEKS BACK.
TAKING ANOTHER NUMBER OF
ACTIONS, INCLUDING A REPORT. WE
HEARD THE FIRST PART OF THE
REPORT IN COMMITTEE, IN MY
COMMITTEE RECENTLY AS WELL. SO
THIS IS A PROBLEM. [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA --
>> WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THERE IS AN SDOT COMPONENT.
YEAH, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, I'M
AFRAID YOU CUT OUT JUST FOR A
LITTLE BIT THERE. SO IF I CAN
ASK YOU TO JUST PICK UP ABOUT
MAYBE 30 SECONDS AGO, WHERE YOU
WERE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
CAPTURE EVERYTHING YOU SAY.
>> YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
>> MY APOLOGIES.
>> ALL GOOD. WELL, WHERE I WAS
GOING IS THIS IS A SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN WITHIN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, WITHIN
SDOT, OED, OTHER PARTNERS AS
WELL. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS
COORDINATING THAT EFFORT, BUT
KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH WITH
RESPECT TO THE UNLICENSED FOOD
VENDING ASPECT. YOU KNOW, I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS,
AND THOSE OF MR. ELLERBROOK ON
THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE, AND
FOLLOWING SCIENCE NOW MORE THAN
EVER. CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND
THE SCIENCE IS CRITICAL CLEAR.
WHEN THERE IS NO ACCESS TO SINKS
OR HAND WASHING STATIONS. MANY
OF THESE PERMITTED AND
UNLICENSED VENDORS DON'T HAVE.
THE RISK OF FOOD-BORNE ILLNESSES
INCREASES. AND SO DURING
COMMITTEE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FIRST,
NOT EDUCATION ONLY IN TERMS OF
ENFORCEMENT. BUT HOW WILL YOU
MEASURE WHETHER EDUCATION FIRST
STRATEGIES ARE EFFECTIVELY
IMPROVING COMPLIANCE AMONG
UNPERMITTED, UNLICENSED VENDORS
OVER TIME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. I KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO
ASK ME THIS QUESTION, AND I DID
SEE THE SEATTLE TIMES EDITORIAL
THIS MORNING ABOUT THIS, SO
THANK YOU FOR THIS QUESTION. FOR
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, I WANT TO
MAKE SURE I NOTE THAT
UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDING IS NOT
JUST A SEATTLE PROBLEM, IT IS
SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING
ACROSS OUR ENTIRE STATE. IT IS
ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT IS
HAPPENING ALL OVER THE UNITED
STATES, AND WHERE I CAME FROM,
DEKALB COUNTY, METRO ATLANTA. WE
UNFORTUNATELY WERE FACING THE
SAME ISSUES. SO IT'S DEFINITELY
JUST A LARGE NATIONAL PROBLEM.
AND I WILL SAY I SIT ON THE BIG
CITY'S HEALTH COALITION WITH
THE LARGEST METRO HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND A PART OF WHAT HAS BEEN
DISCUSSED LATELY, WE'VE BEEN
HAVING KIND OF TOPICAL SESSIONS
ABOUT JUST HOW DIFFERENT LARGE
JURISDICTIONS ARE ADDRESSING
THIS MANNER ACROSS, YOU KNOW,
THE BOARD. AND A COUPLE OF
THINGS THAT I HAVE NOTED HERE IN
KING COUNTY, THAT'S ALSO A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
WAS HAPPENING AT LEAST IN THE
METRO ATLANTA AREA. YOU KNOW,
THERE'S KIND OF THESE TWO SETS
OF UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDORS. THE
FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW THERE IS A
PROCESS OR THERE IS LANGUAGE
BARRIERS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE WORK WITH THEM, SO THERE
IS A PATHWAY TO COMPLIANCE,
RIGHT? MAKING SURE WE'RE
PROVIDING INFORMATION THAT'S,
YOU KNOW, IN VARIETY OF
LANGUAGES THAT WE ASSIST THEM
AND HELP THEM THROUGH THE
PROCESS. AND THOSE ARE, YOU
KNOW, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE JUST
TRYING TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES,
RIGHT? AND WHO ARE WANTING TO BE
A PART OF THE SMALL BUSINESS
COMMUNITY. AND THEN THERE IS
ANOTHER SET OF UNPERMITTED FOOD
VENDORS THAT SEEM TO BE A PART
OF A LARGER ORGANIZED SITUATION
THAT IS NOT JUST HERE IN
WASHINGTON, BUT SEEMS TO BE
ACROSS THE WEST COAST FROM
CALIFORNIA, OREGON, AND
WASHINGTON. AND WE BELIEVE SOME
OF THE INDIVIDUALS ARE WORKING
THERE AND ARE BEING FORCED TO DO
THAT WORK, RIGHT? AND SO WE
DON'T WANT TO PUNISH THE LABOR.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
ADDRESSING THE OWNER OPERATOR OF
THESE ORGANIZED SITUATIONS. SO
AS PART OF A TEARED COMPLIANCE
APPROACH, WE DO START WITH A
WARNING FIRST. WE'RE GOING TO
BE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, IF THAT
CONTINUES TO OCCUR AFTER
EDUCATION AND WARNING, THEN
AGAIN, PROVIDING THE THIRD TIER
OF THAT WOULD BE USING THE
MISDEMEANOR AUTHORITY, WHICH
PUBLIC HEALTH DOES HAVE. AGAIN,
WE WOULD NOT DO SO TO THE LABOR,
BUT RATHER THE OWNER, OPERATOR
OF THE UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDING.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TEAM
DOES A GREAT JOB OF TRACKING NOT
ONLY OUR PERMITTED FOOD VENDORS,
BUT ALSO THE NUMBER OF CALLS AND
TIMES WE VISITED UNPERMITTED
FOOD VENDORS. WE DO HAVE DATA
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE BECAUSE I
WANT TO ASK THEM. I WANT TO SEE
NUMBERS. LIKE WHERE IS IT
HAPPENING THE MOST? AND WE DO
HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LARGE AMOUNT
HAPPENING, SO THEY DO TRACK THIS
AS WE IMPRESENT THIS APPROACH.
HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE WE GETTING
A SECOND WARNING? AND SO THAT
WILL BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS.
BUT LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE A PART OF THE PROCESS. IT
DEFINITELY INVOLVES OTHER
ENDTIES IN ORDER FOR US TO
ADDRESS THIS COMPLETELY. AND OUR
PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH TEAM IS A PART OF THE
MAYOR'S IDT TEAM THAT WAS
CONVENED, SO THERE HAS BEEN
DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS
HAPPENING AS WE COLLABORATE ON
AN APPROACH.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, AND
APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL MAYOR
OF DETAIL AND NUANCE REGARDING
THE TIERED APPROACH YOU
DESCRIBED. THAT WASN'T
SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP OR
CERTAINLY NOT IN DEPTH WHEN WE
LITERALLY HEARD THIS A WEEK AGO
OR SO IN COMMITTEE. THAT IS AN
ASPECT I LOOK FORWARD TO
LEARNING MORE ABOUT. IN TERMS OF
OUR COMPREHENSIVE OVERARCHING
STRATEGY, AND INCORPORATING IT
INTO OUR STRATEGY GOING FORWARD
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, AND
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT. IT
HIGHLIGHTS EDUCATION ONLY
DOESN'T WORK, SO REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. THE SECOND
QUESTION IS WHAT SPECIFIC
CHANGES? SO YOU MENTIONED, LET
ME FRAME IT UP A LITTLE BIT. SO
YOU MENTIONED THE IMPERATIVE.
THIS IS IMPORTANT ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY AND IMPERATIVE HERE.
BY THE WAY, I KNOW YOU'RE NEW
TO PARTS OF THE CITY, AND YOU
HAVE A GLOBAL AND NATIONAL
EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE, AND
WE WELCOME YOU HERE. BUT IF YOU
HAVEN'T YET HAD YOUR FIRST
SEATTLE HOT DOG, GO GET ONE. I
LOVE THEM, THEY'RE DELICIOUS.
WE GENERALLY WANT TO SUPPORT
MICRO ENTREPRENEURS AT ALL
LEVELS, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THEY'RE COMPLIANT, AND THEY'RE
COMPLIANT WITH OUR LICENSES AND
PERMITS. A PART OF THAT IS
EDUCATION, BUT NOT EDUCATION
ONLY. WHAT SPECIFIC CHANGES TO
THE PERMITTING PROCESS ON THE
PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE DO YOU
BELIEVE WOULD MOST EFFECTIVELY
REDUCE BARRIERS FOR VENDORS
WHILE STILL MAINTAINING STRONG
PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTIONS?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO I WILL SAY OUR TEAM HAS DONE
A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WITH A VARIETY OF
MEMBERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY. WE
HAVE GONE OUT TO COMMUNITY AND
HOSTED THINGS IN COLLABORATION
WITH, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANT
COMMUNITY, BUSINESS COMMUNITY,
TO ENSURE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO
WANT TO START A SMALL BUSINESS,
WHO WANT TO OPEN UP A
RESTAURANT, ARE AWARE AND
INFORMED OF THE PROCESS. I WILL
SAY I THINK THE TEAM HAS DONE A
REALLY EXCELLENT JOB OF TRYING
TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW,
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN A
VARIETY OF LANGUAGES, IF MANY
TERMS OF SPECIFIC CHANGE ON
IMPROVEMENTS. WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN
AND WELCOME FEEDBACK TO THE
PROCESS. I KNOW THAT HAVING
VISITED, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS
THAT IT'S COMPLEX. IT'S A
COMPLEX ISSUE, RIGHT? AND IT IS
A COMPLEX PROCESS. SO ANYTHING
WE COULD DO TO INFORM COMMUNITY
ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS ENGAGES,
WE ARE HAPPY TO DO SO. ALSO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TEAM IN
DECEMBER 2025 UPGRADED THE
PERMITTING SYSTEM, WHICH IS
MEANT TO BE AN EASIER PROCESS
FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT
ALL THEIR INFORMATION ONLINE
DIRECTLY. WE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR
SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THAT MAY
BE CHALLENGING. WELCOME AND OPEN
TO FEEDBACK TO MAKE AND IMPROVE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH THAT
PROCESS. THEY ARE DOING THEIR
BEST TO ENSURE THEY ARE ENGAGING
WITH A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE
SPECIFICS, BUT I CAN SHARE WITH
YOU. OUR TEAM DID SOMETHING IN
THE COMMUNITY, WHERE THEY HOSTED
KIND OF AN INFO SESSION OF THIS
IS THE PERMITTING PROCESS, HERE
ARE THE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE, AND
I KNOW THEY WOULD BE WELCOMED
AND HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT
THING IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
AREAS IN THE CITY.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AS YOU NOTED, VERY COMPLEX
NUANCE SYSTEM AND SET OF
PROCESSES RIGHT NOW. WHAT I
HEARD YOU SAY, WHICH MAKES A TON
OF SENSE. WE NEED TO UNDERTAKE
EFFORTS TO SIMPLIFY, STREAMLINE,
MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE, AND I
WOULD ADD TO THAT AND EMPOWER
FOLKS. EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT,
WHATEVER IT IS. SO THANK YOU,
IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
YOUR NOMINATION TODAY. I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR OFFICES
CONTINUED ROBUST ENGAGEMENT AND
THE MAYOR'S OFFICES IDT ON THIS
PARTICULAR TOPIC, AND LOOK
FORWARD TO INVITING YOU BACK TO
MY COMMITTEE LATER THIS YEAR TO
REPORT ON PROGRESS. SO REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU AND THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I
JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU, DR. VALENCIANO FOR BEING
HERE. SO WE HAVE YOUR
CONFIRMATION PACKET, AND IT'S
LIKE 25, 26 PAGES, SO THANK YOU
FOR THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU
MENTIONED IS BEING PREPARED FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES DURING
FIFA. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
SO ACTUALLY PUBLIC HEALTH
SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY HAS BEEN
PREPARING FOR FIFA WORLD CUP
SINCE BEFORE I CAME HERE, SINCE
JANUARY 2025. YOU KNOW, PUBLIC
HEALTH PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN
FIFA WORLD CUP PREPAREDNESS
BECAUSE THERE'S A VARIETY OF
THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN. FROM
OUR STANDPOINT, THE BIGGEST
CONCERNS ARE, OF COURSE, DISEASE
OUTBREAK, AS WELL AS WHETHER
THERE MIGHT BE A HEAT EVENT, AND
WE MAY NEED TO CONSIDER IF IT IS
SAFE FOR FOLKS TO BE OUTSIDE
DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF THE
TEMPERATURE. WILDFIRE SMOKE, AND
THEN ALSO A MASS CASUALTY EVENT.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE
WITHIN PUBLIC HEALTH AT THE
COUNTY. SO THESE ARE THE BIG
TOPICAL AREAS THAT OUR TEAM HAS
BEEN WORKING ON AND PREPARING
FOR. WE HAVE CAPACITY TO
INCREASE FOR DISEASE
SURVEILLANCE AND INVESTIGATIONS
IN THE EVENT OF A DISEASE
OUTBREAK. WE ARE ALSO GETTING
INCREASED CAPACITY FROM, FOR THE
MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE
DURING THIS TIME AND THE EVENT
OF A MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT. OH,
I FORGOT TO MENTION, OF COURSE,
GIVEN THE TOPIC COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA JUST BROUGHT UP. ONE OF THE
OTHER BIG CONCERNS, WE'RE GOING
TO SEE AN INCREASE IN
UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDING. YOU
KNOW, OUTSIDE OF, OF COURSE, THE
LUMEN FIELD AND THE FAN SITES
AND ALL OF THAT. SO WE ARE GOING
TO BE GETTING --
>> SO LET ME JUST, YEAH, LET ME
JUST STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. SO MY
CONCERN IS THIS. WHAT IS A MASS
CASUALTY EVENT IN REGARDS TO
BESIDES PEOPLE GETTING FOOD
POISONING? WOULD YOU CONSIDER
GUN VIOLENCE A MASS CASUALTY
EVENT?
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, IF I
COULD ASK YOU JUST TO REPEAT THE
QUESTION. YOU CUT OUT FOR JUST A
SECOND THERE, AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE CAPTURED ALL OF YOUR
QUESTION.
>> SO YOU MENTIONED MASS
CASUALTY EVENT A COUPLE TIMES.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE OTHER LIST
THAT YOU MENTIONED, FOOD
POISONING, ALL THOSE THINGS.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER GUN VIOLENCE
A MASS CASUALTY EVENT THAT YOUR
DEPARTMENT WOULD BE PREPARED
FOR?
>> THE DEFINITION OF MASS
CASUALTY EVENT VARIES, AND IT
COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO
TEN DECEDENTS. IT ALL DEPENDS ON
THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE
OCCURRING. SO IT ESSENTIALLY
MEANS DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE
TO QUICKLY DO AUTOPSIES WITHIN
THE SPACE THAT WE HAVE
AVAILABLE, IF THERE WERE AN
INCIDENT OF, YOU KNOW, EXTREME
GUN VIOLENCE, RIGHT? IT COULD BE
ANYWHERE FROM THREE OR MORE
PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED
MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT, AND OUR
TEAM WOULD THEN IMPLEMENT THEIR
MASS CASUALTY PLAN. I WILL ALSO
ADD THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH ALSO HAS --
>> OKAY, LET ME ROLL IT BACK. IS
GUN VIOLENCE CONSIDERED PART OF
THAT? ARE YOU GUYS PREPARED FOR
ACTS OF VIOLENCE, NOT THE
CORONER AND ALL THAT, BUT TO BE
ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT?
>> WELL, WE HAVE REGIONAL OFFICE
OF GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEAM,
BUT OUR REGIONAL OFFICE IS A
VERY SMALL TEAM THAT FOCUSES
PRIMARILY ON SOUTH SEATTLE AND
SOUTH KING COUNTY. THE WORK THIS
TEAM FOCUSES ON IS, OF COURSE,
GATHERING DATA AND SURVEILLANCE.
WORKING WITH PRIMARILY YOUTH,
WHO ARE MOST AT RISK. AND THEN
IN THE EVENT OF AN INCIDENT, OUR
TEAM IS AVAILABLE ON SIDE TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT. WE ALSO WORK
WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
THAT DO VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION.
GUN VIOLENCE IS AN ISSUE THAT
EXTENDS BEYOND PUBLIC HEALTH.
IT'S REALLY TO ATTEMPT TO
PREVENT INCIDENTS.
>> CAN I STOP YOU THERE? BECAUSE
YOU KEEP FREEZING ON ME, BUT I
GET IT. I UNDERSTAND ALL OF
THAT. I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A
WHILE FOR ABOUT A DECADE. SO DO
YOU CONSIDER GUN VIOLENCE A PART
OF PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH?
>> WELL, CURRENTLY OUR REGION
OFFICE OF GUN VIOLENCE IS HOUSED
WITHIN PUBLIC HEALTH. GUN
VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSUE, OF COURSE. BUT AS I
MENTIONED, IT IS AN ISSUE THAT
INVOLVES CROSS-SECTOR
COLLABORATION BETWEEN PUBLIC
HEALTH, PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, OUR SCHOOLS,
OUR COMMUNITY, OUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS.
>> THANKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. COLLEAGUES, ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR
APPOINTEE BEFORE US TODAY?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, I AM
GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A
VOTE ON THE APPOINTMENT. I MOVE
TO RECOMMEND CONFIRMATION OF
APPOINTMENT 3497. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. IT IS MOVED AND
SECONDED TO RECOMMEND THE
CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE OF
RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM
APPOINTMENT 3497?
>> CHAIR RINCK?
>> YES.
>> VICE CHAIR FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> THERE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR, ZERO
OPPOSED AND ZERO ABSTENTIONS.
>> THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT THE APPOINTMENT BE
CONFIRMED WILL BE SENT TO THE
JUNE 9 FULL COUNCIL MEETING.
CONGRATULATIONS, DR. VALENCIANO.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR RINCK AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU. WE'LL
MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM TWO INTO THE RECORD?
>> OVERVIEW OF RESOLUTION
UPDATING POLICIES FOR
ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING
PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
AREAS, BIAs. BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> WONDERFUL. AND AS WE ARE
GETTING OUR PRESENTERS SET UP, I
WILL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO FRAME
UP THIS DISCUSSION AGAIN. JUST A
REMINDER, COLLEAGUES, WE WILL
NOT BE VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION
TODAY. INSTEAD WE HAVE SET TIME
ASIDE TO GET A BRIEFING ON THE
RESOLUTION, AND TO GARNER AN
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS
FOR THE FUTURE OF BIA CREATION
AND BIA UPDATES. AT OUR NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING, WE'LL BE
VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION. THIS
RESOLUTION CONVEYS THE CITY'SING
STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS AND
GUIDANCE FOR PERSPECTIVE AND
EXISTING BIAs, BUT ARE NOT
REQUIREMENTS THAT WILL CHANGE
THE OPERATIONS OF ANY OF OUR
CURRENT BIAs. THANKS AGAIN TO
OLLAV OUR PRESENTERS. TO GET
THINGS STARTED, PLEASE STATE
YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE
FOR THE RECORD.
>> I CAN KICK US OFF. JASMINE
MARWAHA, COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
>> ISAAC HORWITH, OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> THERESA BARRERAS, OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> AND CASEY ROGERS, OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> WONDERFUL. PLEASE PROCEED.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD
MORNING, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US
TODAY, COUNCILMEMBERS. WE'RE
EXCITED TO BE HERE AND PRESENT
OUR PROPOSED UPDATES TO OUR CITY
WIDE BIA CITY WIDE POLICIES. WE
HAVE SOME EXCITING IMPROVEMENTS
TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY, THAT WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WITH OUR
BIA DIRECTORS. NEXT SLIDE. FIRST
OF ALL WE'LL DO A QUICK
OVERVIEW OF WHAT BIAs ARE. WE
USE THE TERM LOOSELY. BIA OR
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA, KNOWN
AS IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND ACTUALLY THE WORLD.
IT'S A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR
DISTRICT REVITALIZATION. SO
MONEY CREATED IN THE DISTRICT
GOES BACK TO AN ORGANIZATION
THAT HELPS SUPPORT THE DISTRICT
ITSELF. I LIKEN IT TO HOA FOR A
BUSINESS DISTRICT OR
NEIGHBORHOOD. MONEY GOES BACK TO
THE ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT
PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE CLEAN AND
SAFE, MARKETING AND PROMOTION,
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SPACE
IMPROVEMENTS AND PLANNING
ADVOCACY, AND THEN, OF COURSE,
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE
ORGANIZATION ITSELF. BUT
MOREOVER, I WANT TO MENTION OUR
BIAs HERE IN SEATTLE ARE REALLY
KEY PARTNERS ON THE GROUND IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY'RE THE
EYES AND THE EARS IN THE
DISTRICT. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH
THEM ON ALL SORTS OF ISSUES IN
THE CITY. YOU KNOW, I RELY ON
OUR BIA DIRECTORS FOR ALL SORTS
OF FEEDBACK ON WHAT'S GOING ON
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. A GOOD
EXAMPLE AS OF LATE IS THE FIFA
WORLD CUP. WE WORKED CLOSELY
WITH PIONEER SQUARE, CHINATOWN
ID, SODO, DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ORGANIZATION, IN HELPING TO
PREPARE FOR THE EVENT. WE
CURRENTLY HAVE 11BIAs CITY WIDE
FROM WEST SEATTLE, BALLARD,
COLUMBIA CITY, ETC. AND I JUST
WANT TO MENTION WE ARE WORKING
IN EARNEST WITH THREE NEW
DISTRICTS ON BIA FORMATION,
THAT'S JUDKINS PARK, AND PIKE
PINE AND CAPITOL HILL. A LITTLE
POLICY BACKGROUND. SO BIAs ARE
ACTUALLY ALLOWED BY OUR STATE
RCW, AND THEN OUR CITY WIDE
POLICIES GUIDE BOTH THE EXISTING
AND PERSPECTIVE BIAs THAT ARE
FORMING. RATE PAYERS ARE THOSE
MEMBERS OF THE BIAs THAT CAN
EITHER BE BUSINESSES OR PROPERTY
OWNERS, AND THEY PAY INTO THE
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT. THEN THAT'S
THE MONEY THAT GOES BACK TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND SUPPORTS THE
ORGANIZATION. THE CITY MANAGES
THE PROGRAM. SO OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
COORDINATION WITH TREASURY
SERVICES. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO
ACTUALLY COLLECT THE ASSESSMENT
DOLLARS, THEN REDISTRICT IT BACK
TO THE ORGANIZATION. THE BIA
ORGANIZATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY A
RATE PAYER ADVISORY BOARD
THAT'S REPRESENTING THE RATE
PAYERS THEMSELVES. AND I JUST
WANT TO MENTION THE CITY DOES
HAVE OVERSITE, SO WE APPROVE THE
RATE PAYER ADVISORY BOARDS
ITSELF, AND THEN ON THE ANNUAL
BASIS, WE'RE APPROVING THE WORK
PLAN BUDGET AND THE RATE PAYER
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
THEMSELVES. SO WE HAVE AGENCY
AND OVERSIGHT ON THE
ORGANIZATIONS. MOST BIA
ORDINANCES INCLUDE A SUNSET
DATE, AT WHICH POINT TECHNICALLY
THE ORGANIZATION ENDS, AND THEN
A NEW BIA WOULD HAVE TO BE
CREATED, AND WE'LL GET INTO
WHAT THAT MEANS LATER, BUT A
SUNSET DATE, I'LL JUST NOTE IS
NOT REQUIRED BY STATE. IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE, AS A CITY,
HAVE IMPLEMENTED, AND YOU KNOW,
WE SEE IT AS A BENEFIT, A GOOD
THING. IT'S A NATURAL
OPPORTUNITY TO REEVALUATE THE
STRUCTURE, THE BOUNDARIES, HOW
THE BIA IS FUNCTIONING, ETC. AND
I'LL JUST MENTION, I KNOW ERIN
FROM SODO BIA GAVE PUBLIC
COMMENT AND TALKED ABOUT THIS A
LITTLE BIT, BUT WE WORKED REALLY
CLOSELY WITH OUR BIA DIRECTORS
THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF
ON THESE UPDATES. WE HOLD
QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THE BIA
DIRECTORS THAT SERVE AS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE CITY
UPDATES AND UPDATES FROM THE
COMMUNITY, AND THIS HAS BEEN AT
THE TOP OF THE AGENDA FOR THE
LAST YEAR. SOME KEY FEEDBACK
THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT NUMBER
ONE, THE CITY WIDE POLICIES
COULD BE RESTRUCTURED AND
REFINED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO
UNDERSTAND BOTH FOR EXITING AND
PERSPECTIVE BIAs. SECONDLY, THE
PROCESS IN THAT APPROVAL
THRESHOLD IS BURDENSOME AND
CHALLENGING, AND DOESN'T ALWAYS
MAKE SENSE FOR MINOR CHANGES IN
A BIA. THEN THIRDLY, THERE'S
INTEREST IN CLARIFYING THE
POLICY ON ASSESSING GOVERNMENT
OWNED POLICIES. WITH THAT I'LL
PASS IT OVER TO ISAAC.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, CASEY. SO
I'M GOING TO GO INTO A LITTLE
MORE DETAIL ON THE KEY CHANGES
IN THE UPDATES. THESE AREN'T SO
MUCH OF A SUBSTANTIVE POLICY
CHANGE, BUT WE GOT FEEDBACK THAT
THE POLICIES WERE KIND OF
DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE. THEY
HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATED FOR TEN
YEARS, AND SO THEY WERE KIND OF
OVERDUE FOR A REFRESH. AND SO WE
MADE A LOT OF SMALL CHANGES THAT
KIND OF MAKES THE WHOLE DOCUMENT
LOOK PRETTY DIFFERENT. MAKING IT
CLEAR ABOUT THE BIA
RESPONSIBILITIES, ALL THE STEPS
AND REQUIREMENTS IN THE PROCESS
TO FORM OR RENEW A BIA. MORE
DETAILS ABOUT THE ONGOING ROLES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR, YOU
KNOW, MONITORING, ADMINISTERING,
AND ALL OF THAT BETWEEN THE
BIAs, OED, AND CITY FINANCE. WE
ALSO MADE A LOT OF OTHER CHANGES
LIKE RELATIVELY SMALL THINGS
LIKE MOVING, KIND OF A KEY TERM
THAT'S IN A GLOSSARY, FURTHER
UP, KIND OF REORDERING THINGS,
SO IT IS MORE STRUCTURED, AND
MORE IMPROVED OVERALL. I THINK
THAT IN PARTICULAR WILL HELP
LOWER THE BARRIER AND MAKE IT
EASIER FOR PERSPECTIVE BIAs THAT
ARE LOOKING TO FORM THAT MAYBE
IT IS THEIR FIRST TIME LOOKING
AT A DOCUMENT LIKE THIS. AND
THEN PROBABLY THE MOST
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE THAT WE ARE
PROPOSING IS AROUND THE RENEWAL.
SO AS CASEY SAID, IT'S NOT
REALLY A TERM THAT APPEARS IN
THE STATE LAW ABOUT BIAs, AND WE
HAVE HISTORICALLY REQUIRED THIS
DISESTABLISHMENT,
REESTABLISHMENT WITH THE
PETITION PROCESS AND REQUIRING
60% APPROVAL. NOW WE'VE REALLY
DELINEATED WHEN, BASICALLY AS
LONG AS YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, YOU CAN GO
THROUGH THE MODIFICATION
PROCESS, WHICH IS AN AMENDMENT
TO THE ORDINANCE. THE CITY WOULD
STILL REQUIRE OUTREACH TO ALL
THE RATE PAYERS AND
DOCUMENTATION AND RECOMMEND
MAJORITY SUPPORT, BUT IT
WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH
THAT 60% AND FORMAL PETITION
PROCESS. IF THE BIA IS
PERFORMING OR SUGGESTING MORE
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES LIKE ADDING
A NEW AREA THAT'S NOT
CONTINUOUS OR A CHANGE OF MORE
THAN 10% OF THEIR BOUNDARIES.
CHANGING THE SERVICES THEY
PROVIDE OR CHANGING A BENEFIT
ZONE, THEN, YOU KNOW, THOSE MORE
SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS WOULD
REQUIRE THE PETITION
DISESTABLISHMENT,
REESTABLISHMENT. WE JUST WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE. AND IN
SUMMARY, WE THINK THESE ARE A
LOT OF LITTLE THINGS THAT ADD UP
INTO BIG IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE
BIA DIRECTORS ARE WELCOMING, AND
WE BELIEVE WILL HELP EXISTING
AND PERSPECTIVE BIAs. WE WELCOME
ANY QUESTIONS, AND I THINK
JASMINE MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF
FOLLOWUP?
>> NOTHING TO ADHERE. I'M JUST
HERE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. CENTRAL STAFF
IDENTIFIED NO ISSUES WITH THE
PROPOSED CHANGES, AND SO, YEAH.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
COLLEAGUES, WHAT QUESTIONS DO
YOU HAVE FOR OUR PARTNERS AT
OED? ALL RIGHT. IF WE ARE STILL
THINKING, I'M HAPPY TO JUST
KICK US OFF A LITTLE BIT. YOU
TOUCHED ON THE POINT ABOUT JUST
THE SUNSET. CAN YOU EXPAND A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE VALUE OF
HAVING A SUNSET IN PLACE IN SOME
OF YOUR ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH
BIAs ABOUT THAT?
>> YEAH, I CAN CHIME IN HERE.
WE'VE NOTICED THOSE BIAs THAT
DO NOT HAVE SUNSET DATES OFTEN
TIME CANLING WISH. HAVING A DATE
WHEN THE BIA ENDS IS REALLY AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION
TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT ITSELF AND
UNDERSTAND, HAVE THE BOUNDARIES
SHIFTED? SORT OF WHAT WE'RE
WANTING, KIND OF THE BUDGET
WE'RE AT LOOKING GOOD. SO IT
SERVES AS A NATURAL POINT FOR
THE ORGANIZATION TO MAYBE
RECALIBRATE IS A WORD I WOULD
USE. WHICH IS WHY WE TEND TO
RECOMMEND A SUNSET DATE. WHICH
CAN LOOK, YOU KNOW, IT CAN VARY
BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS, SOME
WOULD BE SEVEN YEARS, I KNOW
THAT TEN YEARS IS OFTEN ONCE THE
BIA IS UP AND RUNNING, THEY KIND
OF HAVE AN EVERY YEAR SUNSET
DATE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT
TO ADD ANYTHING?
>> YEAH, I WOULD ADD THE UPDATED
POLICIES OFFICIALLY RECOMMEND A
SUNSET DATE, WHICH THEY DIDN'T
PREVIOUSLY. THEY'RE NOT
REQUIRED. BUT I THINK PAIRED
WITH REDUCING THE BARRIERS FOR
RENEWAL, IF IT IS BASICALLY JUST
EXTENDING THE SUNSET DATE THAT
THAT IS APPROPRIATE.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN WALK
US THROUGH THE CURRENT PETITION
PROCESS, THE 60% APPROVAL
THRESHOLD, AND AN EXAMPLE OF THE
TIME WHERE THIS HAS BEEN
CHALLENGING FOR BIA?
>> SURE. SO RIGHT NOW TO FORM A
NEW BIA, WHAT IS REQUIRED PER
STATE I SHOULD SAY IS 60%
SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED
ASSESSMENT. SO IT IS ACTUALLY OF
THE PROPOSED DOLLAR AMOUNT. 60%
OF WHAT CREATES THAT DOLLAR
AMOUNT NEEDS TO BE IN SUPPORT.
THAT'S CERTAINLY CHALLENGING.
WHEN I SAY IT IS CHALLENGING, I
DON'T MEAN THAT 40% OF THOSE
RATE PAYERS ARE IN DECENT. THE
PROPERTY OWNER OR THE
PERSPECTIVE RATE PAYER TO
ACTUALLY GET THEM TO SIGN IN
SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY
THE BIGGEST BARRIER THAT I'VE
SEEN.
>> IT'S HARD JUST TO KNOW WHO
TO SEND THE PETITION TO AND TO
GET TO THE RIGHT PERSON. FOR
WHOEVER YOU FIND TO FEEL
COMFORTABLE SIGNING, IN SOME
CASES, WHEN YOU HAVE SOME
COMPLEX PROPERTY STRUCTURES, AND
JUST TO GET PEOPLE TO RESPOND. I
THINK IT'S NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO
GET TO 60% OF FOLKS WHO
RESPONDED. YOU HAVE TO GET TO
ACTUALLY 60% OF THE ENTIRE BIA,
YOU KNOW, PROPOSAL, SO THAT IS
VERY CHALLENGING. IT TAKES TIME.
YOU KNOW, APATHY CAN KIND OF
PLAY INTO THIS IF, YOU KNOW, A
LOT OF FOLKS JUST DON'T GET
AROUND TO IT OR THEY GET A VERY
DENSE PACKET, AND THEY DON'T
UNDERSTAND IT. WE'RE SEEING
RIGHT NOW THE FOLKS THAT IT IS
VERY CHALLENGING TO GET THEM TO
THAT LEVEL. THANK YOU.
>> JASMINE?
>> I MIGHT ALSO REITERATE THE
LIMIT, THE THRESHOLD ACCORDING
TO STATE LAW. THAT IT'S THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO YOU, BUT
REALLY TO EASE THAT BURDEN, IT
WOULD REQUIRE GOING TO THE
STATE.
>> IT'S A CRITICAL DETAIL.
THANK YOU, JASMINE, AND THANK
YOU FOR UNPACKING THAT A LITTLE
BIT. COLLEAGUES, ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS?
>> SURE.
>> APOLOGIES ON THAT.
>> PARDON ME.
>> I FORGOT TO SCROLL OVER.
PLEASE PROCEED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. AND
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR
PRESENTERS. I HAVE JUST TWO
QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I REALLY
APPRECIATED THE COMMENTS AROUND
THE CHALLENGES WITH THE OUTREACH
AND EVEN JUST THE CHALLENGES
THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FACE
WITH THE IDENTIFICATION OF WHO
IS IN THEIR AREA FOR A POTENTIAL
BIA. I WONDER IF YOU COULD SHARE
WHAT WORK OED IS DOING OR WHAT
WORK OTHER DEPARTMENTS COULD
POSSIBLY DO TO EASE THAT BURDEN
ON THE IDENTIFICATION AND THE
OUTREACH? BECAUSE WE KNOW THESE
ARE FANTASTIC SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS WHO ARE OWNING AND
OPERATING THEIR BUSINESSES, AND
ALSO TAKING ON THE ADDITIONAL
REALLY IMPORTANT OUTREACH WORK?
>> WE DO A LOT TO SUPPORT THE
WHOLE PROCESS. WE FIND
CONSULTANTS TO HELP OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES TO GATHER THAT DATA
AND IDENTIFY IT. IT DOES TAKE A
LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO FIGURE
OUT WHO IS OUT THERE AND WHAT
THEIR CONTACTS ARE AND TO GO OUT
AND TALK TO FOLKS TO GET INPUT
AND FEEDBACK. DEVELOP THE
PROPOSAL IN COLLABORATION WITH
ALL THE FOLKS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND BASED ON THEIR
PRIORITIES, WHAT SERVICES THEY
WANT TO SEE. SO IT IS JUST A
VERY KIND OF INTENSIVE PROCESS
TO DO ALL OF THAT. WE DO PROVIDE
MUCH RESOURCE AND SERVICE AS WE
CAN TO SUPPORT THAT PROCESS. I
THINK WE OFTEN BASE THE BIAs ON
KING COUNTY ASSESSMENT DATA, AND
THAT CAN SOMETIMES BE
CHALLENGING TO GET, YOU KNOW,
THE LATEST UPDATES ON THAT DATA
ASK ALL OF THE INFORMATION. SO
THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING
ON, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
BETTER APPROACHES. BUT I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU HAVE OTHER THOUGHTS?
>> I'LL ADD FOR EACH BIA
FORMATION EFFORT, LOOKING TO
FORM. THERE'S A GROUP OF FOLKS
ON THE GROUND, REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE COMMUNITY. THERE IS ALMOST
LIKE A NETWORKING ASPECT OF IT.
WHO AMONGST THE GROUP KNOWS THE
PROPERTY OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY
OWNER, AND THAT SORT OF COMES
NATURALLY WITH THE EFFORT. IT'S
JUST A CHALLENGE THAT WE WORK AS
THERESA MENTIONED AND UNIQUE TO
EACH EFFORT.
>> GOT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT. AND YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S
SOMETHING I HEARD FROM FOLKS
WHEN THEY'RE LIKE WE KNOW WHO
THE PERSON IS, BUT WE CAN'T
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
WITH THEM. SO IT IS HELPFUL TO
HEAR THE WORK THAT OED IS DOING
WITH CONSULTANTS AND OTHER
THINGS TO HELP TO GET PEOPLE IN
TOUCH. ONE MORE QUESTION. I
THINK THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION
FOR JASMINE. SO JASMINE, YOU
MENTIONED THE 60% IS IN THE
STATE STATUTE. ARE THERE, DO THE
STATE STATUTE SORT OF DICTATE
WHICH DECISIONS HAVE TO BE
REACHED AT THAT 60% THRESHOLD?
OR DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SORT OF
FLEXIBILITY BEYOND WHAT'S
PRESENTED IN THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS TODAY?
>> I BELIEVE THAT 60% THRESHOLD
IS JUST A THRESHOLD TO SHOW
SUPPORT FOR THE BIA. SO IT LOOKS
LIKE YOU WANT TO CHIME IN?
>> I DON'T QUITE HAVE THEM
MEMORIZED. THERE'S A COUPLE OF
KEY CHANGES THAT SPECIFICALLY
SAY THEY DO TRIGGER REQUIRING
THE 60% THRESHOLD, WHICH WE HAVE
REFLECTED IN THE CITY WIDE
POLICY, SO A CHANGE IN THE
BENEFIT ZONE, CHANGING TO THE
SERVICES, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN
THE BOUNDARY. SO WE ARE REALLY
REQUIRING THE 60% THRESHOLD
WHERE IT IS REQUIRED BY STATE
LAW.
>> GO AHEAD. THE STATE LAW HAS
SOME CONFLICTING LANGUAGE IT IN
IT. WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR CITY
DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK WE
LANDED ON THIS APPROACH. I THINK
THE PRIOR PRACTICES OF REQUIRING
A NEW PETITION PROCESS FOR
RENEWAL, I THINK WE REALIZED
THAT WASN'T REQUIRED IN STATE
LAW THAT THERE WERE SOME PLACES
WHERE WE COULD MODIFY THAT
WITHIN STATE LAW. WE WOULD LIKE
TO PROPOSE SOME CHANGES TO STATE
LAW TO CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE, AND
MAYBE REDUCE THAT 60% PETITION
REQUIREMENT, BUT WE DIDN'T FEEL
COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD AS
THE CITY OF ESTABLISHING A
POLICY AT LESS THAN 60% AT THIS
TIME.
>> THAT IS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL.
MY OFFICE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH
SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AROUND
THOSE IDEAS THAT THE DEPARTMENT
HAS FOR PARTNERING WITH OUR
FOLKS IN OLYMPIA. THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
COLLEAGUES, ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS? WE WILL BE REVISITING
THIS ITEM AT OUR NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING. WONDERFUL. WELL, I WANT
TO THANK THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ON YOUR CAREFUL WORK
ON THIS, PARTICULARLY JUST THE
FOCUS ON HOW WE CAN ALSO MAKE
THIS LANGUAGE IN THIS PROCESS
MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR FOLKS. IT'S
JUST GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING IN COMMITTEE
THIS MORNING. HAVE A GOOD
WEEKEND.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> WONDERFUL. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON
TO OUR FINAL ITEM OF BUSINESS
TODAY, COLLEAGUES. THANKS FOR
HANGING IN THERE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM THREE INTO THE
RECORD? AND PLEASE NOTE OUR
PRESENTERS WILL ACTUALLY BE
ONLINE FOR THIS PORTION OF THE
MEETING.
>> ITEM THREE, KING COUNTY
CRISIS CARE CENTER LEVY
IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE, BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> WONDERFUL. AND AS OUR
PRESENTERS ARE GETTING GOING
WITH THEIR PRESENTATION AND
WE'RE SWITCHING THINGS OUT,
I'LL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO NOTE
TO THE PUBLIC THAT KING COUNTY
HOLDS JURISDICTION OVER THE
CRISIS CARE CENTER
IMPLEMENTATION. HOWEVER, WITH
THE SEATTLE LOCATION SET TO OPEN
IN 2027, AS CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE, I FEEL IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HOLISTICALLY
UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT'S
GOING ON, AND WHAT'S BEING DONE
TO ADDRESS OUR REGION'S GROWING
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS
LANDSCAPE. SO THANK YOU TO ALL
THE PRESENTERS FOR BEING WITH US
TODAY. AT THIS POINT, I THINK
MORE MEMBERS OF THIS MEETING ARE
ONLINE THAN IN PERSON. IT'S
JUST ME AND THE CLERK ROCKING IT
IN CHAMBERS TODAY, SO I FEEL A
LITTLE LEFT OUT. BUT WITH THAT,
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
OUR PRESENTERS TO GET THINGS
STARTED. SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE GO
THROUGH AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF
BY STATING YOUR NAME INTO THE
RECORD. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS ASHA
VENKATARAMAN IN THE MUNICIPAL
RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT MANAGER WITH THE KING
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AND HUMAN SERVICES. I'LL TURN
IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, KATIE.
>> MORNING, CHAIR, MY NAME IS
KATIE ROGERS, PRONONES ARE SHE,
HER, AND I'M THE CHIEF OF STAFF
AT KING COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF
COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES.
KELLY?
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, MY NAME
IS KELLY TONGG, I'M THE CRISIS
CENTER BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS
MANAGER.
>> GOOD MORNING, SHE/HER
PRONOUNS. I'M THE INTERIM
DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY
DIVISION.
>> GREAT. I'LL START US OFF
HERE WITH OUR PRESENTATION. SO
AS CHAIR RINCK MENTIONED, WE ARE
HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CRISIS
CARE CENTER LEVY AND THE
IMPLEMENTATION STATUS. SO OUR
AGENDA THIS MORNING WOULD BE TO
TALK THROUGH THE OVERVIEW AND
LEVY IN GENERAL, TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT CRISIS CARE CENTERS,
AND THE EARLY IMPACT AND SUCCESS
WE'VE BEEN SEEING THUS FAR.
IMPLEMENTATION STATUS OF THE
LEVY IF GENERAL, AND THEN WE'LL
DIVE INTO THE PIECES OF THE
BROADWAY CRISIS CARE PLANNING,
AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO THE
CRISIS CARE CENTER'S INITIATIVE
WAS APPROVED IN 2023, AND THE
ENTIRE LEVY WAS INTENDED TO
PROVIDE ABOUT $1.1 BILLION OVER
THE NEXT NINE YEARS. AND WE ARE
ATTEMPTING TO FILL A GAP IN THIS
SPECTRUM HERE. WE'RE LOOKING
FOR SOMEONE TO CONTACT, AND
THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE
988, FOR EXAMPLE. SOMEONE TO
RESPOND. WE THINK ABOUT THAT IN
TERMS OF THINGS LIKE MOBILE
CRISIS RESPONSE, SOMEWHERE TO
GO, SOMEWHERE SAFE TO GO, WHICH
IS WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO PROVIDE
HERE WITH CRISIS CARE CENTERS.
AND THEN SOMEONE TO FOLLOW UP.
AND THAT WE'LL GET INTO AS
WELL. BUT THINGS LIKE POST
CRISIS FOLLOW-UP CARE. THERE ARE
THREE PURPOSES TO THE CRISIS
CARE CENTER LEVY. THE PARAMOUNT
PURPOSE IS TO ESTABLISH AND
OPERATE THIS REGIONAL NETWORK OF
FIVE CRISIS CARE CENTERS FOR
PRIMARILY ONE IN EACH -- CRISIS
FOR THE NORTH, THE EAST, THE
SOUTH, AND THEN CENTRAL, AND
THEN ONE FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR
YOUTH. I'LL JUST CLARIFY. ALL
OF THE CRISIS CARE CENTERS WILL
SEE YOUTH, BUT THE YOUTH CRISIS
CARE CENTER IS SPECIFICALLY FOR
OUR YOUTH AND ADULTS. THE FIRST
SUPPORTING PURPOSE IS TO HELP
RESTORE THE NUMBER OF
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT BEDS FOR
MENTAL HEALTH THAT WE HAVE LOST
IN KING COUNTY. AND THEN THE
SECOND SUPPORTING PURPOSE IS TO
INVEST IN OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
WORK FORCE ACROSS KING COUNTY. I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE, KELLY, TO TALK ABOUT
THE CRISIS CARE CENTERS
SPECIFICALLY.
>> THANKS AND GOOD MORNING
AGAIN, EVERYONE. I APOLOGIZE IF
I HAVE TO RUN. I CAUGHT A COLD,
AND I HAVE SOME COUGHING FITS,
SO I APOLOGIZE. SO THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US HERE TODAY. SO I'M
GOING TO DIVE INTO THE CRISIS
CARE CENTER'S CLINICAL MODELS
AND SOME OF THE INSURANCE
BREAKDOWNS WE'RE NOTICING. WITH
SO MANY PEOPLE UNABLE TO ACCESS
THE CRISIS CARE CENTER IS NOW
PLACED FOR SOMEONE TO GO ANY
TIME REGARDLESS THEIR ABILITY TO
PAY FOR THE SERVICES THEY
RECEIVE. SO SOMEONE COULD BE
DROPPED OFF BY THE FIRST
RESPONDER AND EMS PARTNERS. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE? I'M GOING TO
SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON
THIS GRAPHIC, BUT THE GRAPHIC
REALLY ILLUSTRATES THE WAY, THE
DIFFERENT WAYS OF HOW SOMEONE
COULD ACCESS THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER AND THE CLINICAL PATH
THEY MAY FOLLOW. SO EACH CENTER
HAS THREE KEY CLINICAL
COMPONENTS. SO THERE'S THE
URGENT CARE, THE 23-HOUR
OBSERVATION, AND THE CRISIS
STABILIZATION UNIT. SO TOGETHER
THESE SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO
REALLY PROVIDE TIMELY
APPROPRIATE PERSON-CENTERED CARE
FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS.
STARTING OFF AT THE TOP LEFT,
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE FRONT
DOOR INTO CARE, WHICH IS THE
URGENT CARE UNIT. SO ADULTS CAN
WALK IN 24/7 WITHOUT AN
APPOINTMENT, AND THEN YOUTH AGES
4 THROUGH 17 CAN ALSO BE SEEN
THERE. EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE
GREETED BY, YOU KNOW, A PEER
SPECIALIST, AND THEN A CLINICAL
TEAM WILL PROVIDE ASSESSMENTS,
MEDICATION SUPPORT, AND ANY
OTHER SERVICES THAT THE
INDIVIDUAL MAY IDENTIFY AS THEIR
NEEDS. IF THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
CANNOT BE RESOLVED IN THE URGENT
CARE, OR THEY ARE EXPERIENCING
MORE ACUTE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SYMPTOMS, THEY COULD BE
TRANSFERRED TO THE CENTER PART
OF THE GRAPHIC HERE. THIS IS
ALSO WHERE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS
AND MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS HAVE A
DEDICATED ENTRANCE FOR A DIRECT
DROP-OFF. AND SO THAT IS REALLY
CREATING A DIFFERENT -- CREATING
A SPACE THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO
LIKE AN ALTERNATIVE TO AN
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. I WANT TO
NOTE YOUTH WILL NOT ACTUALLY BE
SERVED IN THE ADULT FACILITIES.
BUT ONCE THE CRISIS CARE CENTER
IS ONLINE, THE IDEA IS THE ADULT
FACILITIES WILL TRANSPORT THE
INDIVIDUALS TO THE UCCC FOR
FURTHER STABILIZATION FROM
THERE. THE CLINICAL TEAM WILL
PROVIDE RAPID STABILIZATION AND
THE INDIVIDUAL CAN STAY UP THERE
FOR 23 HOURS AND 59 MINUTES.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, THE THIRD
COMPONENT FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS
THAT NEED MORE TIME BEYOND THE
INITIAL 23 HOURS AND 59 MINUTES,
BUT ARE NOT REQUIRING IN-PATIENT
HOSPITALIZATIONS, SO THEY HAVE
STABILIZED A BIT, AND NOT
REQUIRING THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF
CARE. IT IS SHOWN TO THE RIGHT
OF THIS GRAPHIC HERE. THE CSU IS
DULY LICENSED AS A RESIDENTIAL
TREATMENT FACILITY, WHERE THEY
CAN STAY FOR UP TO 14 DAYS. SO
HERE INDIVIDUAL RECEIVES CASE
MANAGEMENT, WITHDRAWAL SUPPORT,
PSYCH CONSULTATION, MEDICATION
MANAGEMENT, ONGOING CARE
NAVIGATORS. REALLY THE WHOLE
GAMUT OF SERVICES IS ACROSS ALL
THREE COMPONENTS, BUT THE LENGTH
OF STAY IS REALLY WHAT IS KIND
OF CHANGING ALONG WITH THE
ACUITY OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT THE
INDIVIDUAL IS PRESENTING WITH.
AND YOU WILL SEE IN THAT BOTTOM
MIDDLE IS -- SO WHEN THE
CLINICAL TEAM IDENTIFIES AS
SOMEONE WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM
CONTINUED SUPPORT AFTER
DISCHARGING. THEY COULD BE
CONNECTED TO THE POST CRISIS
FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM, WHICH IS
LAUNCHING THIS SUMMER. WE WILL
TALK MORE ABOUT THAT LATER
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, BUT IT
IS REALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST
PROVIDING THAT CONTINUED CARE.
PLANNING FOR DISCHARGES AS SOON
AS SOMEONE ARRIVES, RIGHT?
BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS A SHORT
TERM. IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A
LONG-TERM FACILITY FOR
INDIVIDUALS TO REMAIN IN. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE? AS EVERYONE IS
AWARE, SO KIRKLAND CONNECTIONS,
OUR CONNECTION TO KIRKLAND IS
NOW OPEN, AND THEY'RE ACCEPTING
YOUTH IN THEIR URGENT CARE.
ADULTS CAN WALK IN 24/7 WITHOUT
AN APPOINTMENT. YOUTH AGES 4
THROUGH 17 CAN WALK IN AS WELL
OR SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
ONLINE. THEIR HOURS RIGHT NOW
ARE 11:00 TO 7:00 P.M. EVERY DAY
WITH THE IDEA WE'RE GOING TO GO
TO 24/7 FOR THE YOUTH URGENT
CARE. ABOUT 50% OF ALL
INDIVIDUALS COME IN VOLUNTARILY.
ABOUT 40% OF THOSE VISITS STEM
FROM A FIRST RESPONDER DROPOFF.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE FIRST
RESPONDER DROPOFF AVERAGES IN
THE SEVEN TO NINE-MINUTE RANGE
FROM POINT OF ENTRY TO HANDOFF
TO CONNECTION STAFF. AND JUST
LIKE AN ANECDOTE. IN 2025, 26%
INDIVIDUALS SEEN AT KIRKLAND
WERE RETURNING GUESTS. SO
MEANING THEY HAD A PREVIOUS
VISIT WITHIN THE SAME YEAR OR
THE YEAR PRIOR. AND SO SOME OF
THESE RETURNING GUESTS, SORRY,
OUT OF THESE RETURNING GUESTS,
65% RETURNED ON THEIR OWN RATHER
THAN BEING BROUGHT IN BY FIRST
RESPONDERS. SO WE'RE SEEING
SIMILAR PATTERNS IN 2026, BUT I
THINK THIS IS REALLY TELLING US
PEOPLE ARE FEELING SAFE ENOUGH
TO RETURN IN THE EVENT OF A
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS, AND
THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO
ENCOURAGE. IF THEY ARE HAVING
THESE CRISIS, RATHER THAN GOING
TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR
CALLING THE POLICE, LIKE BEING
ABLE TO COME BACK AND RECEIVE
THE CARE THEY NEED. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE? SO IT THISFECTION SLIDE
SHOWS THE INSURANCE PAIR MIX FOR
KIRKLAND CONNECTIONS FROM
JANUARY 2025 TO MARCH 2026. AND
SO THE FIRST LINE, I WANT TO
NOTE THAT IS NOT INSURANCE.
IT'S 100% COVERED THROUGH THE
LEVY. IT'S BECAUSE THIS IS
NON-SERVICE OPERATING COST. WHAT
IT REALLY MEANS IS
TRANSPORTATION, PHARMACY, AND
LABORATORY COSTS, THEY'RE NOT
COVERED BY INSURANCE. AND SO
THAT IS WHAT THE LEVY IS HELPING
TO PAY FOR. AND SO I WANT TO
JUST NOTE SOME IMPORTANT KIND OF
SOME OF THE ASTERISKS THAT ARE
NOTED HERE. SO IT'S
REPRESENTING THE TYPE OF
INSURANCE THAT'S REQUESTED WHEN
THE OPERATOR SUBMITS AN
AUTHORIZATION FOR SERVICES. BUT
IT DOESN'T MEAN THE CLAIM WAS
FULLY PAID. THERE MAY BE MORE
THAN ONE PAIR TYPE LIKE MEDICARE
AND MEDICAID THAT MIGHT BE
AUTHORIZED WITH A SINGLE
AUTHORIZATION THAT DOESN'T LINE
UP 200% FOR EACH UNIT. JUST ONE
IMPORTANT THING TO HIGHLIGHT IS
THAT WE'RE PROJECTING A
POSITIVE FUND BALANCE OVER THE
LIFE OF THE LEVY. AND SO THEY
TOOK A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH
WHEN WE ESTIMATED MEDICAID
REIMBURSEMENT, AND WE ASSUME
APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE
SERVICES WOULD BE COVERED BY
MEDICAID. BUT IN PRACTICE RIGHT
NOW, WHAT WE'RE SEEING,
MEDICAID IS REIMBURSING CLOSER
TO 55%. AND SO THIS MEANS WE'RE
ABLE TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF
MEDICAID WE EXPECT TO COVER, AND
THEN THEREFORE THAT REDUCES THE
LEVY FUNDING THAT'S NEEDED TO
SUPPORT THE SERVICES. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE? SO FIRST
RESPONDERS INCLUDING 12 LOCAL
POLICE DEPARTMENTS. THEY ARE
ALREADY BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE
KIRKLAND CRISIS CARE CENTER.
REFERRALS COMING FROM ACROSS THE
REGION INCLUDING OUR SEATTLE
PARTNERS. SO THEY SHOW DROPOFFS
TAKE ON AVERAGE THE SEVEN TO
NINE-MINUTE RANGE I MENTIONED,
AND BOTH KIRKLAND AND, SORRY,
BOTH CONNECTIONS AND KICKLAND
POLICE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE
QUICK TURNAROUND WILL HELP MAKE
THEIR WORK EASIER AND TO RESPOND
TO OTHER EMERGENCIES. AND SO
FROM JANUARY 2025 TO MARCH 2026,
THERE WERE ACTUALLY 7,071 TOTAL
DROP-OFFS IN KIRKLAND. AND OF
THOSE, 460 WERE MADE BY POLICE
OR RESPONDERS. THAT REPRESENTS
ROUGHLY 7% OF ALL THE TOTAL
DROPOFFS MADE FOR THAT TIME
PERIOD. WE KNOW SEATTLE IS THE
WORK FLOW OF ROUTEING
INDIVIDUALS TO THE CENTER VIA
AMR BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW FAR
KIRKLAND CAN BE, ESPECIALLY FOR
THE POLICE OFFICERS BASED IN THE
SEATTLE AREA. SOMETHING ELSE I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I HEARD A
COUPLE WEEKS AGO IS A POLICE
CAPTAIN IN KIRKLAND RECENTLY
TOLD US HE'S SURPRISED AT HOW
WELL KIRKLAND IS WORKING,
ADMITTING HE WAS SKEPTICAL AT
FIRST, THINKING IT MIGHT DRAW
MORE UNHOUSED POPULATION INTO
THE AREA OR CREATE NEW
CHALLENGES FOR THEM. BUT AFTER
SEEING THE CRISIS CARE CENTER IN
ACTION, HE IS GLAD THE SERVICES
ARE IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND
APPRECIATES THE SUPPORT THAT IT
IS PROVIDING THEM. FECTION
SLIDE, PLEASE? SO THIS IS NOW
MORE TALKING ABOUT LESS ABOUT
THE CRISIS CENTER AND MORE ABOUT
BROADER IMPACTS THAT THE LEVY IS
SUPPORTING ACROSS THE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SYSTEM. SO WE'RE SEEING
REAL RESULTS IN TERMS OF THE
CARE THEY NEED AND THE SYSTEM
GAINING MORE CAPACITY OR GAINING
NEW CAPACITY. MORE THAN 3,300
PEOPLE WERE SERVED THROUGH OVER
5,400 VISITS AT CONNECTION
KIRKLAND IN 2025, AND 95% OF
INDIVIDUALS IN THE CRISIS
STABILIZATION UNIT WERE ABLE TO
AVOID HIGHER COST OR HIGHER
LEVEL OF CARE. ACROSS THE
SYSTEM, HAVE CONDUCTED MORE
OUTREACHES IN 2025, WHICH IS
DOUBLE WHAT WE SAW IN 2026. SO
OUR OVERDOSE RESPONSE WORK IS
MAKE HADDING IMPACT. PEOPLE
USING NALOXONE HAVE RESPOND ED
TO -- MANY MACHINES REPORTED TO
RESPONDING TO FEARLY 800
OVERDOSES, AND MORE THAN 15,000
HARM REDUCTION SUPPLIES HAVE
BEEN DISTRIBUTED SO FAR. AT THE
911 LEVEL, CHRYSLER CENTERS HAVE
RESOLVED 99% OF CALLS THAT WERE
DIVERTED TO 988. WE ARE ALSO
CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR WORK
FORCE, AND NEARLY 3,700 STAFF
HAVE BENEFITED FROM WELLNESS AND
CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT,
HELPING OUR AGENCY RETAIN AND
STRENGTHEN THEIR TEAMS, WHICH
IS A PART OF THE SUPPORTING
PURPOSE THAT ASIA WAS TALK ASHA
WAS TALKING ABOUT. AND TO ADD
NEW ONES, SO THAT INCLUDES
PROJECTS SUCH AS THUNDER BIRD
FACILITIES, AND A RESTOW IN
RENTON. FINALLY OUR KING COUNTY
DESIGNATED CRISIS RESPONDERS OR
DCRs ARE ARRIVING FASTER IN
RESPONDING TO OUR COMMUTER
REFERRALS IN LESS THAN 11 HOURS
ON AVERAGE. OUR OUTREACH
PROVIDERS IN THE KING COUNTY
CARE NETWORK HAVE ALSO REPORTED
THAT THEY HAVE MORE AVAILABILITY
TODAY AND MORE ROUTINE
APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE OPEN FOR
THE COMMUNITY. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO
GO MORE INTO THE CRISIS SERVICES
THAT IS RUNNING THROUGH THE
LEVY. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST,
WE'VE EXPANDED CRISIS ACROSS
THE COUNTY IN GENERAL. SO THIS
SLIDE WILL GIVE THE QUICK
SNAPSHOT OF THE FREE 24/7 TIPS
FOR SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE
TO US TODAY. WE WILL WALK
THROUGH SOME OF THESE IN MORE
DETAIL, BUT REALLY THE BIG
PICTURE IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MORE
PLACES TO GO AND JUST MORE WAYS
TO GET HELP THAT DON'T INVOLVE
NECESSARILY THE EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT OR POLICE. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE? SO SOMEONE TO
CONTACT. 988. SO WHEN SOMEONE
CALLS OR TEXT 988, THERE'S
CONCERTS AVAILABLE TO TALK AND
LISTEN TO INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED
SUPPORT AND FIND APPROPRIATE
STEPS, NEXT STEPS FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL. SO IN KING COUNTY,
THE 988 LINE IS RUN BY CRISIS
CONNECTIONS. IF THEY ARE UNABLE
TO RESOLVE THAT CRISIS OVER THE
PHONE, THEY WILL THEN, YOU KNOW,
THEY WILL ROUTE TO THE
APPROPRIATE TEAMS. BUT ONE OF
THE TEAMS IS THE CRISIS TEAM.
AND MOBILE CRISIS TEAMS ARE NOW
ABLE TO RESPOND TO COMMITTEE
CALLS ON BEHALF OF DCRs, AND
THAT IS REALLY FREEING UP THE
DCR TIME TO RESPOND TO A LOT OF
THE FOLKS THAT ARE NEEDING THAT
HIGHER LEVEL OF SUPPORT. BETWEEN
APRIL AND DECEMBER OF 2025,
THERE WERE 1,834 CALLS TO 911
THAT WERE DIVERTED TO 988. AND
SO KING COUNTY STARTED SEEING
LOTS OF GREAT KIND OF REROUTEING
HAPPENING THERE. KING COUNTY HAS
RECEIVED OVER 82,000 CALLS OR
TEXTS TO CRISIS CONNECTIONS IN
2025 ALONE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE MENTIONED
THE MOBILE RESPONSE TEAMS. SO
THESE TEAMS ARE PROVIDING
RESPONSE FOR MENTAL HEALTH OR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE CRISIS. THAT'S
NOT INVOLVING POLICE. AND SO
THEY CAN REALLY RESPOND TO
ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY AT ANY
TIME REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY
ARE. REGARDLESS OF IF IT'S A
SUBSTANCE ABUSE CONCERN, MENTAL
HEALTH CONCERN, OR WHETHER THERE
IS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT IS
TAKING PLACE. SO EACH TEAM IS
MADE UP OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SPECIALISTS, LIKE MENTAL HEALTH
PROVIDERS, PEERS, BUT THEY ARE
PAIRED TOGETHER TO RESPOND
ALWAYS IN TEAMS OF TWO. AND THIS
CREATES A COMPASSIONATE AND
CLINICALLY PERFORMED RESPOND TO
REALLY MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY
ARE IN THEIR MOMENT OF EXTREME
LEVEL OF CRISIS AND MEETING THAT
EXTREME CARE. SO MOBILE CRISIS
IS A CRITICAL ALTERNATIVE TO OUR
911 SYSTEM, AND TRADITIONAL IN
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE.
THEY'RE ENSURING THEY RECEIVE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESPONSE, AND
WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO PRESERVE
OUR RESPONSE FOR THE SITUATIONS
THAT REALLY REQUIRE THEM. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE?
>> THANK YOU, KELLY. I'M GOING
TO JUMP IN HERE FOR WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER A CRISIS. AS WE ENGAGE
WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR
ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND FOLKS
SURROUNDING THE BROADWAY SITE.
WHAT WE HEAR MOST OFTEN IS WHERE
DOES SOMEONE GO AFTER THEY LEAVE
A CRISIS CARE CENTER AND WHAT
HAPPENS AFTER A CRISIS? SO FIRST
66% OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME TO A
CRISIS CARE CENTER HAVE THEIR
NEEDS MET, AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS A NEW TYPE OF CARE THAT
IS ENTERING INTO THE OVERALL
SYSTEM, AND SO RIGHT NOW A LOT
OF WITH A WE ARE DOING IS
AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT AROUND
WHAT ARE THE SERVICES THAT ARE
OFFERED? HOW CAN PEOPLE ACCESS
THEM? CAN I ACCESS THEM MORE
THAN ONCE? I WENT TO THE CRISIS
CARE CENTER, AND I'M OKAY NOW,
BUT I THINK I ACTUALLY NEED TO
GO BACK. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING
CLEARLY THAT THIS IS A PLACE YOU
CAN REPEAT OFTEN. AND SO WHAT WE
WILL SEE AND WHAT WE ARE
STARTING TO SEE IS THAT PEOPLE
ARE RETURNING, AS KELLY
MENTIONED. BUT THE CENTERS ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW CAN WE
CONNECT FOLKS TO THAT NEXT LAYER
OF CARE OR WHERE THE NEXT STEP
IS FOR THEM IN RECOVERY, AND
THERE IS ONGOING TREATMENT
OPTIONS, COMMUNITY RESOURCES,
AND ONCE THE CRISIS HAS BEEN
ADDRESSED. AND THEN
INDIVIDUALIZED CARE
COORDINATION, SO PEOPLE CAN
RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. BUT THIS
CARE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON
LINGUISTIC APPROPRIATE CARE, AND
THEN GETTING SOMEONE TO
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR THAT
LONGER-TERM STAY OR OTHER SOCIAL
SERVICES. NEXT SLIDE? AND SO
FOLLOW-UP TEAMS ARE A CORE PART
OF THE HANDOFF. WHAT DOES IT
LOOK LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO LEAVE
THE CENTER EARLIER THIS YEAR? WE
ANNOUNCED THROUGH OUR
COMPETITIVE RFP PROCESS, THREE
PROVIDERS THAT ARE GOING TO LEAD
OUR POST CRISIS FOLLOW-UP CARE.
AND THAT IS COUNSELING REFERRAL
SERVICES, PURPOSE DIGNITY
ACTION, AND SOUND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH. AS KELLY MENTIONED, WE
ARE HOPING TO STAND THESE UP BY
THE END OF THE SUMMER. THEY ARE
REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW CAN WE
SUPPORT A PERSON'S SPECIFIC AND
ONGOING RECOVERY, AND WHAT DO
THEY NEED AS PART OF THEIR
FOLLOWUP? SO IF SOMEONE HAS
RECEIVED CARE AT THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER, THESE TEAMS ARE MEANT TO
PROVIDE SHORT-TERM,
HIGH-INTENSITY SERVICES. THEY
WILL LAST 30 TO 90 DAYS, AND
THEY CONSISTENT OF FREQUENT
ENGAGEMENT, SUPPORT FROM PEERS
WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND AN
INTENSIVE FOCUS ON ENSURING THE
APPROPRIATE TRANSITIONS FOR WHAT
THOSE NEXT SERVICES AND NEEDS
WILL LOOK LIKE FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL. AND REALLY A PART OF
THIS IS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIP TO
REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE IS THAT
NEXT SAFE LOCATION AND TO HAVE A
GOOD SENSE FOR WHAT A PERSON IS
NEEDING OR CURRENTLY
EXPERIENCING IN THEIR CARE
TRANSITION. NEXT SLIDE?
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT. AS KELLY
AND ASHA NOTED, THIS IS THE
SECOND PARAMOUNT PURPOSE OF THE
LEVY, AND THAT'S TO BUILD BACK
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT BEDS.
THESE HAVE BEEN DEPLETING OVER
THE YEARS, AND THEN CREATES A
GAP IN THE SYSTEM WHERE SOMEONE
IS UNABLE TO GET THAT SORT OF
NEXT LAYER OF CARE, WHERE THEY
DON'T NEED TO BE IN AN
EMERGENCY ROOM OR HOSPITAL
SETTING, OR A CRISIS CARE
CENTER. THEY NEED, THEY CAN LIVE
MORE INDEPENDENTLY, BUT NOT YET
QUITE ON THEIR OWN. SO
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROVIDES
24/7, SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE
ENVIRONMENT, WHERE PEOPLE CAN
GET THOSE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO
STABILIZE, AND THAT CAN LOOK
LIKE AROUND-THE-CLOCK CLINICAL
SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION,
THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS, AND
THEN STABILIZATION. AND A FEW OF
THE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED
IN RENTON, WE HAVE FUNDED SOME
OF THOSE BEDS, AND WE ARE
CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE
POTENTIAL OF CO-LOCATING A
16-BED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT
FACILITY AT 1145 BROADWAY, WHICH
IS THE CRISIS CARE CENTER IN
SEATTLE. SO THAT CONVERSATION IS
CURRENTLY IT IN. WE ARE HAVING
THAT DISCUSSION. WE ARE TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BUILDING
NEEDS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE
LAYOUT COULD LOOK LIKE. FOR
FUTURE, WE ARE LOOKING AT
CAPITAL FUNDING, RFP THAT WILL
BE RELEASED THIS SUMMER, AND
THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO
RELEASE AN RFP FOR A PROVIDER BY
THE END OF THE YEAR. NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS SOME EXCITING NEW
DATA WE HAVE FOR 2025 THAT SHOWS
WHO THE KING COUNTY CRISIS
SYSTEM HAS SERVED AND FOR WHAT
NEEDS, WHAT WE SEE HERE IS THAT
MOST PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT TO
THE CRISIS LINES. SERVED BY THE
CRISIS LINE TO GET INTO THE LOW
BARRIER PROGRAMS. THIS ALSO
TOUCHES ON SOME OF THE CCC DATA,
BUT THE REASON I SHARE THIS
SLIDE IS TO SHOW, TO SEE HOW
MUCH PEOPLE IN SEATTLE, WHICH WE
SEE THE MOST NEEDS ARE GOING TO
THE KIRKLAND SITE. WHERE SOMEONE
COULD GO RIGHT IN THEIR
BACKYARD. I'LL PASS IT TO KELLY
ON IMPLEMENTATION.
>> THANKS. THIS IS THE ESTIMATED
TIMELINE THAT WAS LAID OUT IN
THE CRISIS CARE CENTER LEVY
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. AND SO I
JUST WANTED TO KNOW, WE REMAINED
LARGELY ON TRACK TO MEET WHAT WE
LAID OUT THUS FAR. AND SO IN
2024, WE OPENED THE FIRST
PROCUREMENT TO SELECT UP TO
THREE OF THE FIVE CRISIS CARE
CENTER OPERATORS. AND THEN
AROUND ONE, SORRY, ROUND TWO
OPENED IN JANUARY OF 2026 TO
SELECT OUR FINAL CCC OPERATOR
FOR THE ADULT FACILITY , WHICH
IS IN THE EAST CRISIS RESPONSE
ZONE. AND THEN LASTLY ROUND
THREE TO SELECT OUR YOUTH
OPERATOR IS ACTUALLY OPENING
TODAY AT 4:00. AND SO WE ARE
EXCITED THAT THAT ONE IS GOING
TO BE RELEASING. AND SO WE ARE
AHEAD AS FAR AS WE OPENED THE
FIRST CCC IN 2025 RATHER THAN
2026. AND WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT
THE SEATTLE, THE CENTRAL WILL BE
OPENING IN LATE 2027. THE
UPDATED TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, AND I'LL GO A LITTLE BIT
MORE TO THE CRISIS RESPONSE
ZONE. AND SO LIKE I MENTIONED
EARLIER, AND I THINK EVERYONE
KNOWS IN THE NORTH CRISIS
RESPONSE ZONE, WE HAVE THE
KIRKLAND FACILITY, WHICH IS RAN
BY CONNECTION HEALTH SOLUTIONS.
THEY WERE THE FIRST CENTER TO
OPEN AS A CRISIS CARE CENTER IN
AUGUST OF 2025. I DO WANT TO
NOTE THEY WERE OPENED AS OF
AUGUST 2024, BUT THEY WERE NOT
FUNDED THROUGH THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER'S LEVY. WHEN THEY WERE
AWARDED, ANNOUNCING THE OPERATOR
IN 2025. THEY THEN BECAME FUNDED
THROUGH THE LEVY IN AUGUST OF
2025. ADDITIONALLY WITH THE
SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF KIRKLAND,
THE COUNTY ACQUIRED THE FACILITY
IN THIS MONTH ACTUALLY PROVIDING
LONG-TERM STABILITY FOR THAT
SITE. AND THEN FOR CENTRAL ZONE,
WHICH WILL BE LOCATED AT 1145
BROADWAY LIKE KATIE MENTIONED,
WE ANNOUNCED THE OPERATOR TO RUN
THAT FACILITY WILL BE CONNECTION
HEALTH SOLUTIONS ONCE AGAIN, AND
THAT WAS ANNOUNCED IN NOVEMBER
OF 2025, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING
THE FACILITY TO OPEN IN LATE
2027. AND THEN FOR THE SOUTH
CRISIS RESPONSE ZONE IN FEBRUARY
OF 2026, WE ANNOUNCED MULTICARE
AS THE SOUTH CRISIS CARE CENTER
OPERATOR. THEIR PROPOSAL DID NOT
INCLUDE AN IDENTIFIED SITE. OVER
THE COMING MONTHS, THE OPERATOR
IS EXPECTED TO IDENTIFY AND
ADVANCE THE VIABLE SITING
OPTIONS AND ENGAGE OURSELVES
JURISDICTIONS TO BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS AND SECURE THAT
LITTER OF SUPPORT NEEDED TO
CONFIRM THE FEASIBILITY OF THE
SELECTED SITE. BIT END OF 2026,
THEY WILL BE EXPECTED TO SECURE
SITE CONTROL. AND FOR THE EAST
CRISIS RESPONSE ZONE, WE
RELEASED OUR ROUND TWO CCC
PROCUREMENT IN JANUARY ON
JANUARY 30 OF THIS YEAR, AND
THAT WAS THE FOCUS FOR THE EAST
SIDE, THE NOTIFICATION OF THE
AWARD IS ANTICIPATED IN LATER
THIS YEAR AND KIND OF TOWARDS
THE END OF 2026. AND OF THE EAST
FACILITY, REALLY DEPENDS ON
WHETHER THE PROPOSAL SUBMITTED
THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT HAVE
IDENTIFIED A SPECIFIC SEGMENT OR
NOT. THEN LIKE I JUST MENTIONED,
THE YOUTH WILL BE OPENING TODAY
AT 4:00. I WILL HAND IT BACK TO
ASHA.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO I WILL JUST
DIVE A LITTLE BIT INTO WHERE WE
ARE ON THE CENTRAL ZONE CRISIS
CARE CENTER PLANNING. SO RIGHT
NOW AS OF 2025 AS KELLY
MENTIONED, WE HAD SELECTED
CONNECTIONS HEALTH SOLUTION AS
THE OPERATOR. WE HAVE PURCHASED
THE BUILDING TO BE IN KING
COUNTY OWNERSHIP. THROUGHOUT
2025, SPENT SOME TIME DOING SOME
REALLY ROBUST COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE THE
FOLKS WERE -- [ INAUDIBLE ] THE
OUTREACH THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO
THEM IN LATE 2027. SO THIS YEAR
WE ARE EXCELLENT COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND CONNECTION
HEALTH SOLUTION HAS BEEN
CONDUCTING COMMUNITY HEALTH
ENGAGEMENT. IN TERMS OF OUR
BUILDING TIMELINE, WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF SELECTING AN
ARCHITECT TO CONDUCT THE WORK.
AND THEY WILL BE DOING INITIAL
DESIGN WORK OVER THE SUMMER. WE
PLAN TO DO DESIGN RENOVATIONS
THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, AND
CONSTRUCTION ITSELF IN 2027.
I'LL DIVE INTO THE DETAILS
SURROUNDING SORT OF THE LETTER
OF SUPPORT THAT FORMER MAYOR
HARRELL HAD TRANSMITTED LAST
YEAR IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT JUST
AT THE HIGH LEVEL, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WAS IN THAT LETTER
OF SUPPORT DID INCLUDE DOING A
SAFETY ASSESSMENT AND SOME
LAUNCH PLANNING, AND WE DO PLAN
ON KICKING OFF THAT PROCESS WITH
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN
THE FALL OF THIS YEAR. ONE OF
THE OTHER ITEMS WAS COMMUNITY
ADVISORY GROUP TO WEIGH IN ON
PUBLIC SAFETY DISORDER ISSUES
THAT THERE MAY BE CONCERNS ABOUT
ONCE THE CENTER OPENS. SO WE
STARTED TO CONVENE THAT GROUP,
AND THAT WORK IS ON GOING, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT THE OPERATOR
IS REQUIRED TO DO TO CREATE A
GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY, AND THIS
IS ALSO ONE OF THE LETTERS OF
SUPPORT AROUND GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD
AGREEMENT, BUT WE ARE IN
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THAT
PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, SO WE ARE
IN, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AS WELL AS
CONNECTIONS ON WHAT A PROCESS
WILL LOOK LIKE BOTH FOR US TO
GET TO AGREEMENT ON THE DRAFT,
AS WELL AS WHAT COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT WILL LOOK LIKE ON
THAT NEXT YEAR. AND AS KELLY AND
KATIE MENTIONED, WE ARE HOPING
TO OPEN ISN'T THE AT THE END OF
2027. AT THAT POINT, A SEPARATE,
BUT RELATED COMMUNITY ADVISORY
COUNCIL WILL BE CONVENED, WHICH
IS INTENDED TO BE A GATHERING OF
PROVIDERS, FOLKS TO ENSURE THAT
THERE IS, THAT WE ARE LOWERING
THE BARRIER TO ACCESS AND REALLY
WEIGH IN ON HOW A LOT OF THAT
WORK CONTINUES TO GO AND WHEN
THEY ACCESS THAT CENTER. THE
BUILDING THAT WAS SELECTED IS
CENTRALLY LOCATED. THERE ARE
THREE HOSPITALS NEARBY. THERE'S
A LOT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
IT WAS ALREADY A MEDICAL CENTER
THAT A LOT OF THE HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT A CRISIS
CARE CENTER WILL NEED. AT THIS
POINT, WE ARE HOPING TO MAKE
SURE THAT ALL OF THE ZONING
REQUIREMENTS AND ALL THE LAND
USE REQUIREMENTS ARE FULFILLED.
THAT WORK WILL START IN THE
FALL. AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO
ACQUIRE A BUILDING THAT WAS
ALREADY BUILT AS OPPOSED TO
HAVING TO BUILD ON THE GROUND UP
MEANS WE COULD OPEN THAT CENTER
EARLIER AND GET PEOPLE THE
SERVICES THAT THEY NEED RATHER
THAN HAVING TO BUILD IT FROM
SCRATCH. I MENTIONED A LITTLE
BIT OF THIS ALREADY, BUT DESIGN
WORK IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING
OVER THE SUMMER. PERMITTING THIS
FALL. CONSTRUCTION, NEXT YEAR,
AND THEN HOPEFULLY ASSUMING
EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY. WE
WILL BE HOPING FOR A CERTIFICATE
OF OCCUPANCY, WHICH MEANS WE
COULD OPEN AT THE END OF 2027.
AND I WILL PASS IT BACK TO KATIE
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK.
>> YES. SO OVER THE 2025 AND NOW
INTO 2026 AND 2027, WE HAVE
CONDUCTED AND WILL CONTINUE TO
MEET WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN
2025, WE HAD OVER 100 COMMUNITY
CONVERSATIONS, PRESENTATIONS,
AND OTHER EVENTS. AND WILL
CONTINUE TO WALK THROUGH AND
SORT OF ACQUIRING AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ALSO HAVE PUT
POSTERS IN COMMUNITIES ALL
AROUND. AND WHERE IT WILL BE. WE
ALSO LAUNCHED THIS YEAR, THE
TOOL KIT, WHICH WE HEAR MORE
OFTEN IS FROM BUSINESS OWNERS
AND FROM SMALL BUSINESSES ABOUT
WHAT DO I DO IF I HAVE SOMEONE
WHO IS CLEARLY IN A CRISIS IN
FRONT OF MY STORE? WHAT OPTIONS
DO I HAVE? THIS TOOL KIT REALLY
GETS TO SOME OF THAT, WHICH IS
HERE IS WHAT YOU DO. YOU CALL
988. THIS IS WHAT THE MOBILE
RAPID RESPONSE CRISIS TEAM DO
AND HERE IS HOW THEY WORK AND
HOW THEY COME OUT. SO RIGHT NOW,
WE ARE GETTING THE TOOL KIT OUT
TO AS MANY JURISDICTIONS AND
ONLINE AS WE CAN. AND THEN WE
ARE DOING VIDEO TOURS AND PSAs.
WE LAUNCHED ONE JUST THIS MONTH,
FEATURING THE EXECUTIVES, AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT WITH
CONNECTION HOUSE SOLUTIONS. SO
COMING UP, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER
OF EVENTS. WE DO HAVE AN ONGOING
MONTHLY VIRTUAL COMMUNITY
MEETING. THIS NEXT ONE WILL BE
ON JUNE 10 AT 2:00 P.M. AND THIS
IS WHERE WE WILL TALK ABOUT
IMPLEMENTATION, STATUS UPDATES
ON OUR BUILDINGS, RFP
INFORMATION, AND THEN WHEN THE
GROUP SUGGEST AN IDEA, WE WILL
OFTEN BRING IN SOMEONE TO
PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL
EDUCATION AND INFORMATION. WE
ARE ALSO HOSTING WITH AN EVENT
ON JUNE 3. HERE IS HOW YOU HELP
SOMEONE WHO IS HAVING A CRISIS.
THESE ARE THE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE
AND GET A TRAINING ON THOSE
SPECIFIC WAYS IN WHICH YOU COULD
HELP SOMEONE. AND THEN WE ARE
HOSTING A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
ON JULY 21 AT 5:30 AT THE SITE,
WHICH WILL BE THE FUTURE HOME OF
THE CRISIS CARE CENTER. THAT
WILL BE ANOTHER PLACE FOR US TO
HEAR DIRECTLY FROM COMMUNITY,
GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE
AT, INTRODUCE CONNECTIONS. AND
THAT IS PART OF OUR ADDITIONAL
ONGOING ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF
COMMUNITY GROUPS TO INTRODUCE
CONNECTIONS AS THE PROVIDER, SO
THEY COULD GET A BETTER SENSE OF
WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT SERVICES
THEY WILL PROVIDE. NEXT SLIDE.
>> JUST VERY QUICKLY ON THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE. ALL THE
REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND THE
ALWAYS TO RSVP, IF YOU ARE
SUBSCRIBED TO THE NEWSLETTER,
IT'S THERE. AND THE BLOG AND
THE WEBSITE DOES HAVE A LOT OF
THE INFORMATION FOR BOTH YOU ALL
AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THERE
ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE
YOU HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION
ONLINE. SO I'LL DIVE A LITTLE
BIT IN HERE TO EACH OF THE
PIECES. AS I MENTIONED, WELL,
LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. A
PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
FOR THE CRISIS CARE CENTER LEVY
WAS REALLY STRONGLY EMPHASIZED,
COORDINATION WITH THE HOST
JURISDICTION IN WHICH A CRISIS
CARE CENTER WAS GOING TO BE
LOCATED. AND SO IN THE
CONVERSATIONS LAST YEAR ABOUT
ACQUIRING ABOUT KING COUNTY
REQUIRING THIS FACILITY, FORMER
MAYOR HARRELL HAS TRANSMITTED A
LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE SITE,
AND THEY DID INCLUDE FOUR
CONDITIONS TO BE FULFILLED
BEFORE OPENING. THE FIRST WAS
CONDUCTING A CRIME PREVENTION
THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
ANALYSIS ALONG WITH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT. IN TERMS OF STATUS
THERE, WE HAVE RETAINED A
CONSULTANT. KING COUNTY HAS
RETAINED THE CONSULTANT TO DO
THIS WORK. WE HAVE SOME INITIAL
MEETING WITH THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO TALK THROUGH JUST
IN GENERAL, THINGS ABOUT THE
CRISIS CARE CENTER. AND
HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE KICKING OFF
THE ANALYSIS, WHICH INCLUDES THE
SITE WALK LATER IT THIS SUMMER.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING AUGUST. BUT
MAYBE LATE JULY. THAT WORK WILL
BE ONGOING. AFTER THE INITIAL
SITE WALK THAT IS DONE, WE WILL
END UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THINGS THAT
ARE RELATED TO THE ANALYSIS. SO
THINGS LIKE SITE LINE AND
LIGHTING, AND THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED
BY THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY
IMPLEMENTED BEFORE OPENING. THE
SECOND PIECE OF THAT WAS OF THE
LETTER OF SUPPORT CONDITIONS IS
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT AND
POLICY. SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF WORKING WITH CONNECTIONS AND
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON A DRAFT
GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT. WE ARE
WORKING ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND
THAT AGREEMENT TO OCCUR. WE ARE
HOPING THAT WILL KICK OFF IN
EARLY 2027. WE ARE HOPING FOR
THE REST OF THIS YEAR THAT WE
ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CITY,
WITH YOU ALL ON HOW TO MAKE SURE
ALL THE ELEMENTS IN THE LETTER
OF SUPPORT ARE COVERED, AND THEN
MAKING SURE WE'RE VERY CLEAR ON
SORT OF ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES IN TERMS OF WHO
IS RESPONDING TO ISSUES WHEN
THEY DO COME UP AS BETWEEN THE
OPERATOR, AS BETWEEN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, AND THEN KING COUNTY.
ONE OF THE OTHER CONDITIONS IN
THE LETTER WAS RELATED TO LAUNCH
PLANNING AND A SAFETY PLAN. AND
THAT WORK WILL KICKOFF THIS
FALL. SO WE ARE HOPING TO START
A PROCESS THAT WILL TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT
FOLKS ARE SEEING IN THE CAPITOL
HILL AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND FIGURE
OUT HOW TO IN THE SAME SPIRIT AS
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENT,
FIGURE OUT THE ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES ON HOW TO
LAUNCH SUCCESSFULLY AND TO MAKE
SURE ALL THE CONDITIONS ARE IN
PLACE FOR THE CRISIS CARE CENTER
TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL OPENING.
KATIE JUST MENTIONED A LOT OF
OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK.
THAT WILL BE ONGOING THROUGH
BOTH UP UNTIL OPENING AND AFTER
OPENING. BUT AT THE MOMENT, WE
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING
SURE THE FOLKS ARE REALLY
EDUCATED AND CLEAR ON WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITH THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER AND THE SORT OF SERVICES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS. AND
THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO A PHASE
THAT IS A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING
ALL THE RIGHT FOLKS LIKE
PROVIDERS, LIKE FIRST
RESPONDERS, POLICE, FAMILIARIZED
WITH THE LOCATION, AND HOW TO DO
DROPOFFS, THAT SORT OF LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT. AND THEN AS WE GET
CLOSER AND CLOSER TO OPENING THE
SITE ITSELF, MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE REALLY HONING IN ON
AWARENESS OUTREACH, EDUCATION,
SPECIFICALLY AS LAID OUT IN THE
LETTER OF SUPPORT IN THE HALF
MILE RADIUS AROUND THE CENTER.
SO REALLY MAKING SURE WE ARE
TOUCHING BASE WITH LOCAL
BUSINESSES, INSTITUTIONS,
SCHOOLS, EVERYBODY IN THAT
RADIUS, SO THEY ARE PREPARED FOR
OPENING. THE LAST ITEM IN THE
LETTER OF SUPPORT WAS AROUND
COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP. AND
THAT WORK HAS KICKED OFF. WE
HAVE CONVENED THE GROUP OF FOLKS
FOR MAYOR HARRELL AND THE
CURRENT MAYOR WILSON HAVE
CONFIRMED TO BE IN THAT GROUP.
THOSE MEETINGS STARTED BACK IN
APRIL, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO
HOLD MONTHLY MEETINGS TO BOTH
HEAR FROM THOSE FOLKS ABOUT WHAT
THEY ARE EXPERIENCING NEAR THE
CRISIS CARE CENTER, THE FUTURE
CRISIS CARE CENTER LOCATION, AND
CONTINUE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT
FUNDING THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR
THIS GROUP TO ADDRESS A LOT OF
THE CONDITIONS IN THE LETTER OF
SUPPORT ARE ALLOCATED AND SPENT
AS THEY CONCUR WITH OUR
PROPOSALS. ALL RIGHT. SOME
GENERAL INFORMATION HERE ABOUT
HOW TO GET HELP IN A CRISIS, BUT
THAT SHOULD WRAP UP OUR
PRESENTATION. IF YOU ALL HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS, WE ARE, OF
COURSE, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF
THEM.
>> WONDERFUL, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
COLLEAGUES, WHAT QUESTIONS DO
YOU HAVE FOR OUR COLLEAGUES FROM
DCHS? VICE CHAIR FOSTER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR, AND
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR
PRESENTING AND CONGRATULATIONS,
NOT CONGRATULATIONS, BUT GOOD
JOB, KELLY, GETTING THROUGH THIS
WITH YOUR COUGH. I THOUGHT YOU
WERE FANTASTIC. SO THANK YOU FOR
STICKING IT OUT WITH US. I
WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION IN
REGARDS TO THE CAPITOL HILL
FACILITY OPENING. I KNOW THERE
IS THE ANALYSIS THAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN. YOU MENTIONED THE PLAN
TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS. IS THERE
RESOURCES? I KNOW WE OBVIOUSLY
DON'T HAVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS
IN PLACE, BUT ARE THERE
DEDICATED RESOURCES FOR THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN WE RECEIVE
THEM?
>> YEAH, SO THERE ARE A COUPLE
OF PLACES WHERE FUNDING MAY BE
AVAILABLE. SO PART OF THE
ADVISORY GROUP. LAST YEAR THE
KING COUNTY COUNCIL ALLOCATED $3
MILLION TO THAT GROUP TO HELP
SUPPORT THE CONDITIONS AND THE
LETTER OF SUPPORT. SO A PART OF
THE FUNDING FROM THAT COULD GO
TOWARDS THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER
POTENTIAL BUCKETS OF FUNDING
HERE. I THINK IN LAST YEAR OR
MAYBE IT WAS THE 2026 ADOPTED
BUDGET, THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE $500,000 OF
ONE-TIME FUNDS, WHICH OF COURSE,
IS NOT OUR DECISION ON HOW TO
SPEND, BUT THOSE FUNDS ARE ALSO
AVAILABLE TO HELP SUPPORT SOME
OF THE LETTER OF CONDITION, SOME
OF THE CONDITIONS IN THE LETTER
OF SUPPORT. AND SO THERE IS AT
LEAST THAT MUCH THAT COULD GO
TOWARDS RECOMMENDATION,
IMPLEMENTATION OF
RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S
VERY HELPFUL. AND THEN I WANTED
TO REFERENCE AN EARLIER SLIDE,
AND I DIDN'T GRAB THE SLIDE
NUMBER, SO I APOLOGIZE. I WAS
HEARING THE REIMBURSEMENT RATES
HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED. WE ARE
PREPARING FOR IMPACTS OF HB1 AND
OTHER CHANGES. SO I'M JUST
CURIOUS IF WE EXPECT THAT
REIMBURSEMENT RATE TO HOLD OR
HOW YOU'RE PLANNING FOR THAT AS
YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SORT OF
THE FINANCIAL, THE FINANCIAL
POSITION OF THE CRISIS CARE
CENTER LEVY IN THE DOLLARS? THIS
IS THE SLIDE. THANK YOU. SORRY,
I COULDN'T FIND -- THERE IS
ALSO A PART OF THE RESPONSE THAT
WE NEED TO RESPOND TO, SO WE
COULD CIRCLE BACK ON THAT WITH
YOU, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE
CURRENTLY LANDSCAPING RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC. THANK YOU.
I WASN'T AWARE THERE WAS
ALREADY A PROVISO FOR THAT, SO
THANK YOU SO MUCH, KELLY. MAYBE
WHEN THAT'S PREPARED, WE WOULD
LOVE TO PROBABLY RECEIVE THE
SAME THING. I THINK IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALL
THINKING ABOUT AS WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT. I SAY THEY HAD
AN IDEA. THINKING ABOUT BEING
ABLE TO PLAN AND FORECAST OUT
OUR BUDGET. SO I'M SO PLEASED
TO HEAR IT HAS BEEN MORE
POSITIVE THAN ORIGINALLY
ANTICIPATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH
PRESENTERS, AND THOSE ARE MY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU VICE CHAIR FOSTER.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> THANK YOU, I'LL BE QUICK.
JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE AND PRESENTING. I KNOW I
HAVE WORKED WITH YOU ALL WITH
THE CRISIS CARE CLINIC GOING IN
DISTRICT THREE ON CAPITOL HILL.
WE'RE EXCITED. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS AND KNOWING THAT YOU ALL
THAT THE MODEL IN KIRKLAND IS
VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I THINK
IS BEING POTENTIALLY PROPOSED
FOR THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT COULD
BE AT CAPITOL HILL, FIRST HILL
LOCATION. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I THINK WOULD BE SUPER
HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE THAT
COULD BE BROUGHT INTO THE CRISIS
CARE CLINIC IS LIKE FOLKS, IT'S
LIKE A VOLUNTARY THING. SO IF I
SEE SOMEONE, AND MIND YOU, I WAS
UP AT JOHN STREET NEXT TO THE
SAFEWAY AT 11:00 P.M. AT NIGHT.
I CALLED THE CRISIS CARE CLINIC.
I GOT SOMEONE ON THE PHONE, AND
I SAID, HEY, IF THERE IS SOMEONE
HERE THAT WOULD LIKE HELP, HOW
DO I GET THEM TO YOUR CLINIC?
BECAUSE I RAN INTO SOMEBODY I
KNEW THAT SAID THEY NEEDED HELP.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE
GAP IN THAT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
LIKE DO I TAKE THEM? DO I CALL
SOMEONE TO BRING THEM THERE? AND
JUST EXPLAINING FOR THE PUBLIC
LIKE THAT MODEL, HOW THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY WORK IF THEY SEE
SOMEONE IN CRISIS THAT MIGHT BE
ON FENTANYL, HAVING A HEALTH
MENTAL BREAKDOWN. YOU KNOW, THEM
CONNECTING THEM THERE AND
WALKING IN THEMSELVES OR COULD
SOMEONE BRING THEM THERE? YOU
KNOW, AND THEM HAVING TO BE IN
AN ILLUSIVE STATE OF MIND,
SAYING THEY COULD ACCEPT THESE
SERVICES. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S
GOING TO BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
FOR US TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE
WITHIN I KNOW THE SERVICES, ALL
OF SEATTLE, BUT I KNOW THERE IS,
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF NEED THAT ARE
IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY. SO
IT MIGHT BE JUST A COMMENT, BUT
JUST REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE
HELP ON THAT AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO THIS GETTING STOOD UP, SO I
CAN START DIRECTING PEOPLE TO
THE CRISIS CARE CLINIC. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH. ONE THING I WANT
TO NOTE, THIS IS ACTUALLY A REAL
SCENARIO -- [ INAUDIBLE ] TO
HELP SOMEONE IN THE CRISIS, BUT
TO YOUR POINT, I THINK, YES, IT
IS VOLUNTARY, ESPECIALLY THE
WALK-IN PIECE. THE PERSON HAS TO
WILLINGLY GO THERE. I THINK TO
WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THOUGH
IS IF, I MEAN, CRISIS RANGES,
RIGHT, ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF
LIKE MAYBE SOMEONE IS WILLING TO
GO WITH YOU, AND THEY CAN WALK
THERE WITH YOU JUST IN TALKING,
RIGHT? THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO
GO. AND LIKE FAMILY CASE
MANAGERS WILL WALK IN WITH
PEOPLE AS WELL, LIKE THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE OFTENTIMES
MAYBE FEEL BETTER GOING WITH
SOMEONE THEY KNOW. AND IN
ANOTHER CASE, THERE CAN BE A
TIME TO CALL 988, INSTEAD OF 911
TO ASK FOR A CORESPONSE TEAM OR
POSSIBLY TEAM TO COME OUT AND
THEN ESCORT THE PERSON TO THE
CRISIS CARE CENTER FACILITY IF
THEY NEED THAT ASSISTANCE THERE.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH. COLLEAGUES, ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THEN I'M GOING TO THANK OUR
PRESENTERS, AGAIN. I HAD
QUESTIONS, BUT THE PRESENTATION
WAS SO THOROUGH, YOU ANSWERED
THEM. SO I THANK YOU FOR RUNNING
THROUGH A VERY THOROUGH
PRESENTATION AND COVERING A LOT
OF GROUND AND A LOT OF MATERIAL.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF
INTEREST IN THE CRISIS CARE LEVY
EFFORT BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH
HIGH NEED ACROSS OUR
COMMUNITIES. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR THE WORK YOU'RE
DOING AND VERY EAGER TO SEE THIS
COME ONLINE AND SEE HOW THIS
COULD BE GOOD. THOUGHT PARTNERS
AND IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS, AND
KIND OF RESOLVING SOME OF THESE
TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AS COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HOLLINGSWORTH RAISED.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN, AND I HOPE
YOU HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
WONDERFUL, COLLEAGUES. WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. IS THERE ANY FURTHER
BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, THE
NEXT HUMAN SERVICES LABOR IN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXIT TEE IS
SCHEDULED FOR JUNE, SORRY, FOR
FRIDAY, JUNE 5. HEARING NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, WE ARE
ADJOURNED.