>> GOOD MORNING. THE HUMAN
SERVICES LABOR AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL WILL COME
TO ORDER.
IT IS 9:33 A.M. , JUNE 5, 2026.
I'M COUNCILMEMBER
ALEXIS MERCEDES RINCK, CHAIR OF
THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE COMMITTEE
CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL AND LET THE
RECORD
REFLECT
COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH AND
JUAREZ
ARE
EXCUSED.
>> VICE CHAIR
FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR
RINCK.
>>
PRESENT.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE
THREE MEMBERS PRESENT AND TWO
EXCUSED.
>> THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO
APPROVAL OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA
IS ADOPTED. WELCOME, EVERYONE.
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON
TODAY'S AGENDA.
FIRST A VOTE ON A RESOLUTION
UPDATING CITYWIDE PARKING
AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREAS
OR
BIAs, THEN A BRIEFING FROM KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY REGARDING
THE COLLECTIVE ACTION PLAN
SUBMITTED BY THE AGENCY TO BOTH
THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND COUNTY
EXECUTIVE ON MAY
2, 2026. AND FINALLY WE HAVE A
BRIEFING FROM THE CITY HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND SEATTLE
HEALTH
KING COUNTY TO SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER.
AND WITH THAT WE WILL NOW
OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE
TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA
OR WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIPED UP FOR TODAY.
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE
ONE IN- PERSON SPEAKER SIGNED
UP,
AND THERE ARE TWO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU.
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.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED UNTIL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD HAS CONCLUDED.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY STATING
YOUR FULL NAME AND ITEM YOU
ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT
ON THEIR
TIME. SPEAKERS MICS WILL BE
MUTED IF
THEY DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME
TO ALLOW US TO
CALLOON THE NEXT
SPEAKER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN, AND WE'LL BEGIN
WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE
LIST.
>> THANK YOU.
THE FIRST IN- PERSON SPEAKER IS
MICHAEL PICKETT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I WANTED TO THANK COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR YOUR SACRIFICE.
YOU GET
MORE COMPLAINTS AND CRITICISM
THAN YOU DO
COMPLIMENTS, AND I APPRECIATE
THE WORK YOU DO.
I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF
FAIR START AS A
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER. I LIVE IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
I'M NOT HOMELESS AND I
NEVER
HAVE BEEN. I HAVE A CAREER IN
MANAGEMENT
CONSULTING. I HELP COMPANIES
LIKE
MICROSOFT AND STARBUCKS IN THE
CITY OF
SEATTLE, THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, AND KING
GATES
FOUNDATION. AND EVERY SINGLE ONE
OF THEM
HAD AREAS THEY NEEDED TO DO
BETTER.
I THINK THE CITY OF SEATTLE
DOES REALLY WELL, AND I
THINK THEY HAVE AREAS THEY NEED
TO DO
BETTER.
THEY ARE A 5-YEAR-
OLD ORGANIZATION.
THEY WERE FOUNDED AND
STARTED BY A LEADERSHIP TEAM NOT
TERRIBLY
PROCESSED AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL. THAT LEADERSHIP
TEAM IS NO
LONGER HERE.
WE'RE NOW UNDER VERSION TWO OF
KCRHA.
TO EXPECT FLAWLESSNESS IN
THEIR OPERATIONS IS NOT
REALISTIC.
THEY'VE GOT AREAS THEY NEED TO
IMPROVE.
WHAT I WOULD URGE ALL OF YOU
TO DO IS TO HELP THEM, ADVOCATE
FOR THEM, AND HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE, BUT THEY
NEED SUPPORT. THEY NEED A LITTLE
MORE TIME
TO GET THINGS FIGURED OUT.
IF WE'RE IN THE SAME SPOT IN
A YEAR OR TWO, I THINK A
REEVALUATION AND A
SERIOUS ONE IS WARRANTED.
BUT RIGHT NOW OUR COMMUNITY,
PEOPLE ON THE STREETS,
AND EVERYBODY WANTS MORE
RESULTS.
AND KCRHA AND THE
ORGANIZATION IS SET UP AS BEST
POSITIONED TO DO THAT.
IF YOU WERE TO TRY AND NEUTER
THEM OR MAKE A
CHANGE, IT WOULD COST MILLIONS
AND TIME.
AND IT'S TIME THAT WE DON'T
HAVE. SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO
SUPPORT THEM, ADVOCATE FOR
THEM, ADVOCATE FOR THE FOLKS WHO
ARE
HOMELESSNESS -- WHO ARE
HOMELESS, AND GIVE IT
ANOTHER SHOT AND HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THE FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER
IS ALBERTO ALVAREZ.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX WHEN
YOU HEAR THE PROMPT.
YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTED.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RINCK
AND VICE
CHAIR FOSTER. PRICE INCREASES
DUE TO TARIFF
WHERES, THE IRAN OIL
BLOCKADE, AND FEDERAL BURDENS ON
TRADE
AND MANUFACTURING INFLATING
THE PRICE TO CONSUMERS TO OUR
CITY WOULD FURTHER PUSH
LOCAL SHOPPERS AND NEARBY
RESIDENTS
AWAY. THE MAJORITY OF WORKERS IN
HOTEL
HOSPITALITY, FOOD AND
DRINKS, BUILDING MAINTENANCE,
AND
MORE LIVE FAR OUTSIDE THE
BOUNDARIES
OF OUR CITIES -- OF OUR CITY.
MOST OF WHICH WOULD NOT
BENEFIT FROM THE MAYOR'S
SPENDING ON
TRANSIT AS LINES WITH
MAJORITY SEATTLE STOPS WOULD BE
EXPANDED. THE MAYOR WILL BE
TAXING
THE REMAINING INCOME AFTER FOOD,
RENT, UTILITIES OF THE MOST
STRUGGLING WORKERS WHO CAN
NEVER AFFORD TO BE
OUR NEIGHBOR. EXPRESS LINES FROM
NEARBY
TOWNS, THE TWO TO THREE BUSES
A PERSON TAKES INTO OUR CITY, OR
THE
45- MINUTE DRIVE, NONE OF
THESE WOULD BE ALLEVIATE WOULD
THE
MAYOR'S PLAN.
YET SHE WILL BE TAXING THEIR
PARTICIPATION IN OUR
LOCAL ECONOMY FAR HIGHER THAN
ANY
BENEFIT THEY WILL EVER SEE.
PLEASE MOVE FORWARD WITH
GREAT CAUTION ON ANOTHER SALES
TAX.
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT
TAXING VEHICLES AND LOCAL
PARKING
ARE THE BEST WAY TO
ENSURE AN INCREASE TO RIDERSHIP.
THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD
DAY.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER ON THE
LIST IS DAVID HEINZ.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX WHEN
YOU HEAR THE PROMPT.
YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
>> HI, DAVID HEINZ.
WE ALWAYS NEEDED A KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY TO KEEP SERVICE
PROVIDERS HONEST, FORTHRIGHT,
AND
DILIGENT THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE
OUTCOMES.
INSTEAD KING COUNTY
HOMELESSNESS AUTHORITY, THE
ORIGINAL
STARTERS OF IT PERVERTED
THE INTERPRETATIONS OF POLICY
AND
BEGAN RUNNING INTERFERENCE
FOR CRIMINALS AND PRIORITIZING
THE MOST SELF- DESTRUCTIVE, MORE
PROFITABLE REPEAT OFFENDERS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF IT
RACIST, WOKE, CORRUPT AT
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
IMPLODING OUR SOCIETY.
AND YET EVER SINCESINCE
FINEGOOD TOOK OVER THERE'S BEEN
A
331% INCREASE IN DRUG OVERDOSE
FATALITIES WHILE KING
COUNTY KEEPS MISLEADING ABOUT IT
ONLY BEING A PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS,
AS EVIL PREDATORS ARE LISTED
NONVIOLENT, LOW LEVEL COMMITTING
CRIMES AGAINST
HUMANITY, DESTROYING THEIR
FELLOW MAN'S
LIFE.
IN FACT, PUBLIC HEALTH
CRISIS FOR KING COUNTY BELIEVES
THEY NEED DRUG KITS, WHICH ARE
UP TO
75,000, YET WE STILL HAVE A
PLATEAU OF A MINIMUM OF 600
OVERDOSES, WHICH IS A STILL
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
BUT YET WE GET THIS
MISLEADING WORDS TO BE HEARD
FROM
PROPAGANDA BUREAUCRATS WHO ARE
UNTRUSTWORTHY. IT'S LIKE YOU
MYTH BE
UNQUALIFIED BUT YOU'RE
UNTRUSTWORTHY
BECAUSE YOUR EXPERIENCE GETS IN
THE WAY
OF REAL PROGRESS.
I HATE TO SAY THIS, FOLKS, BUT
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE
FOUNDATIONAL, PHILOSOPHICAL,
ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH TO PUBLIC
HEALTH IN SEATTLE IS BASED
ON BRAD FINEGOOD BEING ADVISED
BY
HIS DRUG ADDICT BROTHER, WHO HE
DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WAS A
DRUG ADDICT AND YET DIED OF A
DRUG ADDICTION.
AND YET BRAD WAS TOLD BY
HIS BROTHER THAT DRUG ADDICTS
NEED
A SAFE PLACE TO DO DRUGS.
AND BRAD HAS SHARED WITH US
HIS MISERY AND FORCED ALL OF US
TO BE SUBJECTED TO ALL THESE
PEOPLE DROPPING DEAD BECAUSE HE
BELIEVES THEY NEED A SAFE
PLACE TO DO DRUGS.
>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR
PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, WE'RE
GOING TO MOVE ONTO OUR FIRST
ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
ONE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> ITEM ONE, RESOLUTION 32207, A
RESOLUTION ADOPTING
UPDATED POLICIES REGARDING
THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT
OF PARKING AND BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREAS FOR THE CITY
OF
SEATTLE AND SUPERSEDING
RESOLUTION
31657. BRIEFING, DISCUSSION,
AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>> THANK
YOU, CLERK.
COLLEAGUES, AS OUR PRESENTERS
GET SETTLED IN, JUST AS A
REMINDER, WE HEARD ACTUALLY
LAST WEEK DURING OUR SPECIAL
MEETING, AND AS WE DISCUSSED WE
ARE BRINGING THIS FOR A
VOTE TODAY. THE CITYWIDE BIA
POLICIES PROVIDE A GUIDANCE AND
POTENTIAL
BIAs. THIS RESOLUTION WILL
UPDATE AND
SIMPLIFY THAT GUIDANCE.
WE KNOW BIA IS A POWERFUL
TOOL THAT ALLOWS BUSINESSES
AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND
NEIGHBORS
ACROSS THE CITY TO TARGET
SHARED RESOURCES TO MEET THE
SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THEIR
OWN
NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO EXCITED TO
HAVE
THIS BEFORE US TODAY.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE
TABLE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT
TO FIRST INTRODUCE YOURSELVES
FOR THE RECORD AND THEN PROCEED
WITH
THE TOPIC AT HAND.
PLEASE GO
FORWARD.
>> JASMINE MARWAHA, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> ISAAC HORWITH, OFFICE
OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> THERESA BARRERAS, OFFICE
OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US TODAY AND CONSIDERING
TO APPROVE
THE RESOLUTION.
I
WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME
RECAPPING THE LEGISLATION, AS
CHAIR
RINCK DESCRIBED. IT MAKES MANY
SMALL
CHANGES TO MAKE
THE POLICIES MORE USER-FRIENDLY
AND EASY TO
UNDERSTAND THE ROLES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY
AND
OF CURRENT OR PROSPECTIVE BIAs.
THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE
CHANGE IS AROUND REDUCING THE
BARRIERS FOR
RENEWING AN EXISTING
BIA AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT
MAKING ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO HOW THEY
OPERATE OR
THEIR BOUNDARIES. WE'RE
AVAILABLE IF THERE ARE
ANY FOLLOW- UP QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK THERESA HAD --
>> I'LL JUST ADD THAT
THE POLICIES WERE LAST
UPDATED AROUND TEN YEARS AGO,
AND
SO IT WAS TIME TO TAKE ANOTHER
LOOK AND MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS
FROM THINGS WE HAD SEEN.
AND WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
THE DIRECTORS OF ALL OF OUR
BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT AREAS IN THE CITY
TO GO THROUGH THE POLICIES IN-
DEPTH AND AGREE ON WHAT CHANGES
WERE
NEEDED, AND SO IT WAS A
VERY INCLUSIVE PROCESS, AND I
THINK WE LANDED ON A A
RESULT.
>> COLLEAGUES,
QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE
RESOLUTION.
I AM NOT
SEEING ANY HANDS. I KNOW WE HAD
A
ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS
LAST WEEK,
AND SO
UNLESS THERE ARE ANY FINAL
POINTS, I THINK I'M
GOING TO KEEP US MOVING ALONG
THEN.
I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE MOVE
FORWARD WITH
RECOMMENDING ADOPTION OF
RESOLUTION 32207.
IS THERE A
SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION
OF RESOLUTION.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
ALL RIGHT, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO
ADOPT
THE
RESOLUTION?
>> VICE
CHAIR FOSTER.
>>
YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>>
AYE.
>> CHAIR RINCK.
>>
YES.
>> THERE ARE THREE IN
FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED, SW ZERO
ABSTENTIONS.
>> WONDERFUL.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION WILL
BE SENT TO THE JUNE 15th FULL
CITY
COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES,
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW MOVE
ONTO OUR SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM TWO INTO IT RECORD
IN.
>> ITEM TWO, KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOMELESSNESS
AUTHORITY,
KCRHA, FORENSIC
EVALUATION STATUS UPDATE,
BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AS OUR PRESENTERS SIT DOWN
AT THE TABLE, A NOTE FOR MY
COLLEAGUES AND VIEWING
PUBLIC, THIS ITEM WILL HAVE
KCRHA SPEAK
TO THE CORRECTIVE ACTION
PLAN THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED
TO SUBMIT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND THE KCRHA GOVERNING BOARD AS
A RESULT OF THE
FORENSIC EVALUATION FINDINGS.
THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
REQUIREMENT WAS ALSO OUTLINED IN
THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY
FULL COUNCIL ON TUESDAY OF
THIS WEEK,
AND THIS PAPER DOCUMENT WAS
SUBMITTED BY KCRHA AND RECEIVED
BY IT THREE ENTITIES ON
MAY
22nd. AND TODAY'S PRESENTATION
COVERS
THE CONTENT. SO, PRESENTERS, IF
YOU COULD
TAKE A MOMENT TO UNMUTE YOUR
MICROPHONES, INTRODUCE YOURSELF
BY STATING YOUR FULL NAME
INTO THE MICROPHONE FOR THE
RECORD, AND THEN PROCEED WITH
THE
PRESENTATION. THAT WOULD BE
GREAT.
THANK
YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR RINCK,
CO- CHAIR FOSTER, MEMBER
SAKA, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I'M CLAIRE
CINSON.
>> I'M WILLIAM
TOW AE. I'M ASSOCIATE DEPUTY
FOR
STRATEGY AT KCRHA.
>> WE'RE HERE EXCITED TO TALK
TO
YOU AND TALK ABOUT
OUR CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN AND
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MAY
HAVE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE
KEPT THE SLIDES STREAM LINED SO
WE
CAN GET RIGHT TO YOUR
QUESTIONS OR ANY DISCUSSION
YOU'D LIKE
TO
HAVE. I'D LIKE TO START WITH
JUST
SOME BRIEF BACKGROUND FOR THOSE
NOT
FAMILIAR. KCRHA WAS STARTED
DURING
A REALLY TUMULTUOUS TIME DURING
A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC. WE REALLY
STARTED OPERATIONS IN
EARLY 2021, AND THIS
EVALUATION PERIOD RAN FROM APRIL
2021 THROUGH
JULY 2025. WE'VE INCLUDED A
REFERENCEREFERENCE
DECK WITH A BRIEF TIME LINE OF
KCRHA'S OPERATIONS.
THE FORENSIC EVALUATION THAT WAS
CONDUCTED BY CLARK NEWBER
OUR CONTROLS AND REPORTING
PRACTICES
DURING THE ENTIRE
REPORTING
PERIOD. AND AS THE EVALUATION
POINTS
OUT, THESE REALLY STARTED
AT INCEPTION AND KIND OF BUILT
AND INTERSECTED WITH EACH OTHER
OVER
THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT
THE EVALUATION COVERED.
WE'RE VERY THANKFUL THERE'S NO
EVIDENCE OF FRAUD OR MISUSE
OF FUNDS, DESPITE SOME OF THE
REPORTING YOU MAY
HAVE SEEN. THE QUOTE- UNQUOTE
MISSING
FUNDS THAT ARE SOMETIMES
MENTIONED
IN NEWS RELATE TO FUNDS THAT
WE PAID OUT TO HOMELESSNESS
SERVICE PROVIDERS OR OTHER
APPROPRIATE
USES.
BUT OUR RECONCILIATION ON
OUR BACK END FOR GETTING
REIMBURSED, FRANKLY DIDN'T
HAPPEN OR
HAPPENED INCORRECTLY.
WE'RE STILL INVESTIGATING THAT
DEEPLY OVER THE COURSE
OF THOSE -- THOSE YEARS.
I JUST WANT TO, YOU
KNOW, EMPHASIZE THAT KCRHA
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING
THESE
PROBLEMS. AND WE KNOW THAT WE
HAVE WORK
TO DO WITH OUR PARTNERS TO
BETTER COLLABORATE AND
COORDINATE
WITH OUR FUNDERS AND MAKE SURE
THAT THESE ISSUES ON OUR BACK
END ARE
ECEN
ECEN RECONCILED.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW WE HAVE
SUBMITTED A CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN THAT'S VERY
DETAILED,
THAT WALKS THROUGH EVERY
EVALUATION
FINDING IN RESPONSE TO
THE EVALUATION THAT WAS
SUBMITTED
ON MAY
22nd. IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE
SERIOUSNESS,
AS I HAVE RELATED, TO THESE
ISSUES. AND IT HAS ALLOWED US TO
MOVE
FROM RESPONSE TO THE EVALUATION
INTO REALLY KNOWING OUR PATH
FORWARD FOR CORRECTING
THE
ISSUES. IT'S REALLY WHAT -- AS
I
JOINED THE CITY, THE REGION IN
2024,
I KNEW THERE WAS A LOT THAT
WE NEEDED TO FIX.
BUT IT'S REALLY HARD FROM A
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW TO UNDERSTAND
EVERYTHING.
AND I KNOW THOSE OF YOU WHO
HAVE BEEN INVOLVED LONGER
THAN I HAVE
UNDERSTAND THAT. AND SO THIS IS
AN AMAZING
TOOL THAT WE HAVE NOW TO ROAD
MAP EXACTLY HOW THE BACK
END GOVERNANCE NEEDS
TO WORK. SO OUR FOCUS IS NOW
STABILIZING ALL OF THOSE
OPERATIONS,
CONTINUING TO RECONCILE SOME
OF THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES THAT
HAVE COME ON OUR RADAR.
WE'VE ALREADY STRENGTHENED
CONTROLS, WHICH WILLIAM
TOWEY WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT IN
JUST
A MOMENT.
AND WE'RE DOING MUCH
CLEARER REPORTING TO THE CITY,
BOARD, AND COUNTY WHERE
POSSIBLE.
WE STILL HAVE SOME THINGS TO FIX
SO OUR REPORTING IS ACCURATE
AND
TIMELY. WE'RE APPROACHING THIS
WORK WITH
ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENCY,
AND URGENCY.
WE UNDERSTAND AND HAVE
HEARD FROM YOU THE URGENCY AND
THE
UNACCEPTABILITY OF
THE SITUATION.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL SEE
OUR CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
AND SEE HOW WE ARE TRYING TO
MOVE IN
THAT DIRECTION.
WILLIAM?
>> THANK YOU.
ON SLIDE FOUR, WE LIST OUT SOME
OF THE ITEMS RELATED TO CURRENT
STATUS AND
OPERATIONS. I WOULD NOTE THAT
THE
FORENSIC EVALUATION COVERED
THE PERIOD OF TIME FROM THE
BEGINNING OF KCRHA
THROUGH TO --
>> APOLOGIES.
I THINK WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE
--
ARE YOU PRESENTING SLIDES RIGHT
NOW?
OKAY, CAN WE ADDRESS
THAT? THANK YOU.
GIVE ME
ONE MOMENT. WE'LL BE AT EASE,
COLLEAGUES, JUST WHILE WE MAKE
SURE
THE SLIDES ARE
UP. APOLOGIES.
AND WHILE WE'RE ON
THOSE TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS,
WILLIAM,
IF YOU CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOUR
MIC IS ON.
I THINK WE'RE HAVING SOME
TROUBLE.
>> I BELIEVE IT IS.
>> I THINK YOU CAN ALSO MOVE IT
CLOSER TO
YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> PERFECT.
GREAT.
PLEASE PROCEED.
THANK YOU.
>> THERE WE GO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO THE FORENSIC
EVALUATION COVERED THE PERIOD
FROM THE
BEGINNING OF KCRHA THROUGH
TO JUNE OF 2025.
AND IT UNCOVERED REALLY TWO
OR THREE KEY AREAS OF FOCUS --
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
AND PRACTICES FOR
OPERATIONS GENERALLY AS WELL AS
A COUPLE OF
OTHER AREAS.
THIS SLIDE REALLY RELATES TO THE
FIRST CATEGORY OF ITEMS,
AND I WOULD NOTE THAT THE BULK
OF
THE PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED IN
THE EVALUATION CENTER ON THE
YEARS
'22, '23, AND '24.
IT'S NOTABLE.
AND THE EVALUATION ALSO
NOTES THAT IN '25 WE SWITCHED
TO
AN UPDATED CONTRACTS
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM WAS
INSUFFICIENT, AS IT IS
APPARENT FROM THE RESULTS OF
THE
EVALUATION. AND SO WE KNOW THAT
THE YEAR
2025 AND 2026 ARE SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPROVED FROM THOSE EARLIER
YEARS, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF
A
TALE OF TWO ORGANIZATIONS IN
A
SENSE. THE POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES THAT YOU'LL SEE
NOTED ON THIS SLIDE
ARE RELATED TO PRIMARILY THE
KIND OF ACTIVITIES THAT
WERE CENTRALLY IMPROVED THROUGH
THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF SALESFORCE.
THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL
ITEMS NOTED IN OUR
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN RELATED
TO THESE AREAS.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE HAD MANY OF
THE CONTROL CHANGES UNDERWAY OR
IN PLACE.
THOSE ARE BEING CODIFIED.
OUR MONTHLY CLOSE IS HAPPENING
REGULARLY AT THIS
POINT. THE FINANCE, LEADERSHIP,
AND
CONTROLLER LEVEL REVIEW IS
AN EXAMPLE OF CHANGES THAT TOOK
PLACE IN 2025 RIGHT AROUND WHEN
THE EVALUATION WAS ENDING.
THE ABILITY TO VALIDATE
A RECEIVABLES AND
BASICALLY PERFORM
RECONCILIATIONS, WHICH
WAS ONE OF THE CORE PROBLEMS
FROM THE EARLIERS IS LARGELY
RESOLVED AND FUNCTIONING AT
THIS POINT, AND WE'RE
EVALUATING WHERE WE MAY NEED
ADDITIONAL
CAPACITY OR EXTERNAL VALIDATION.
AND I'LL SPEAK TO THAT A
LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE NEXT
SLIDE.
AND SO WHERE WE'RE AT NOW IS
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED ALL THE
CONTROL CHANGES IN PLACE FOR
APPROVALS,
DOCUMENTATION, ACCESS REVIEWS.
THERE WAS NOTABLE
CONVERSATION AROUND THINGS LIKE
GIFT CARDS
AND PURCHASE CARDS.
I WOULD JUST FRAME THAT IN
THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF THE
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FROM THIS
EVALUATION, THOSE ITEMS
ARE VERY MUCH AT THE MARGIN,
AND OF COURSE IT'S
APPROPRIATE THERE ARE
APPROPRIATE AND PROPER
CONTROLS IN PLACE FOR THOSE.
THOSE CONTROLS WERE LARGELY
IN PLACE.
THEY JUST WEREN'T AS THOROUGHLY
DOCUMENTED AS ONE MIGHT HAVE
LIKED.
THE PHASE ONE WORK FOR THE
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN HAS
REALLY LEANED INTO MAKING
SURE THAT THOSE POLICIES AND
PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES ARE
FULLY DOCUMENTED AND IN
COMPLIANCE WITH 2CFR200,
THE REQUIREMENTS TO SHOW
WE'RE NOT ONLY DOING THE RIGHT
THINGS BUT WE'RE DOCUMENTING
AND
THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IS
CLEAR AROUND THAT.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS
THIS SECONDARY ELEMENT OF THE
EVALUATION, WHICH RELATES
TO SOME REALLY PRETTY LARGE
DOLLAR
NUMBERS. AND THEY FALL INTO
THREE KEY
CATEGORIES --
UNRECONCILED ACCOUNTS
RECEIVABLES, WHICH
AS DR. KINNISON NOTED WE
DID NOT PAY BACK TO OUR
FOUNDERS.
AT KCRHA WE HAVE FIVE THINGS
WE REALLY SPEND MONEY ON.
WE SPEND MONEY RELATED TO
THE HUD COC WORK.
WE SPEND MONEY TO OUR
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
PROGRAMS, AND WE SPEND
MONEY RELATED TO CITY OF
SEATTLE CONTRACTS AND KING
COUNTY
CONTRACTS.
AND THE FIFTH BEING WE
SPEND MONEY FOR THE
ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD OF THE
ORGANIZATION.
AND OUR INITIAL REVIEW HAS
FOCUSED IN
ON CLEARLY UNDERSTANDING THOSE
EXPENSES
AND THE
INCOME RELATED. AND BECAUSE WE
USED THE
KING COUNTY TREASURY, WE DON'T
HAVE OUR OWN
BANK ACCOUNT. WE USED THE
INVESTMENT POOL.
WE HAVE 100% CLEAN RECORDS ON
EVERY PENNY WE HAVE SPENT
AND EVERY PENNY THAT'S COME
INTO THE
ORGANIZATION, AND WE
CAN IDENTIFY THAT FLOW OF CASH
ACROSS THOSE FIVE CATEGORIES.
SO WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN
WORKING THROUGH A CASH ANALYSIS
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE IN THE
COMING
WEEKS AND HAVE IDENTIFIED WITH
CLARITY THAT THE VAST MAJORITY
OF THESE
UNRECONCILED RECEIVABLES RESIDE
IN THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND KING COUNTY AND
KCRHA.
THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S KIND
OF TWO LEVELS OF ANALYSIS THERE.
THE TOP LEVEL CASH ANALYSIS WILL
GIVE US THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
THE PURSUIT OF THECULE
DETAIL RELATIVE TO THE
PARTICULARS
OF EACH CONTRACT, TO EACH CASH
SWAP
RELATED TO THOSE UNRECONCILABLE
RECEIVABLES WILL TAKE LONGER
AND REQUIRE MORE HISTORICAL
EVALUATION, WHICH IS THE SORT
OF WORK THAT'S ANTICIPATED IN
PHASE
TWO. ALSO IN PHASE TWO WE
NOTE THAT THE OPPORTUNITY WILL
CONTINUE TO
IMPROVE SYSTEMS WITHIN KCRHA
SOSO THAT STATUS OF
THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE
TODAY
IN THE SORT OF '25, '26 FRAME
OF
FUNCTIONING AND OPERATING
QUITE WELL IS STABILIZED,
WELL- DOCUMENTED, CLEARLY
DEFENSIBLE, AND
OPERATING SMOOTHLY MOVING
FORWARD LEAVING THE CITY, THE
COUNTY,
AND OURSELVES WITH THE TASK
OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE
FINAL NUMBERS ARE RELATIVE TO
THE
UNRECONCILED RECEIVABLES AND
THE ADMINISTRATIVE
OVERSPEND OF WHICH THERE IS ALSO
SOME
NOTABLE ITEMS THAT SHOW UP ON
THAT SUCH
AS THE EXPENSE OF
TRANSITIONING TO SALESFORCE AND
ALSO
THE INTEREST THAT IS BEING
ACCRUED ON THE NEGATIVE BALANCE
IN
THE KING COUNTY INVESTMENT POOL.
NOTEWORTHY IS THE ROLE OF
PROGRAM UNDERSPEND EACH YEAR
THAT HAS BEEN A OPPORTUNITY OVER
THE YEARS FOR THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, KING COUNTY, AND KCRHA
TO RECONCILE ADDITIONAL
EXPENSES THAT WERE
UNANTICIPATED DURING THE COURSE
OF THE YEAR BE THEY
PROGRAMMATIC, ADMINISTRATIVE,
OR OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES.
AND THAT UNDERSPEND
ALLOCATIONS AT TIMES HAS BEEN
USED TO
REIMBURSE KCRHA FOR
UNBUDGETED ADMINISTRATIVE
OVERSPEND
OR OTHER PROGRAMMATIC
EXPENSES THAT WERE OUT OF THE
ORIGINAL BUDGET. SO THAT IS AN
IMPORTANT NOTE IN
THIS AREA. BUT, ULTIMATELY, THE
TASK OVER
THE COMING MONTHS WILL BE
TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT FINAL
NUMBER ENDS UP BEING AND
UNDERSTANDING HOW
THE CITY AND THE COUNTY PARTNERS
WISH TO PROCEED
WITH RECONCILING THAT NUMBER.
AND THAT NUMBER IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS EMBEDDED
INTO
OUR NEGATIVE BALANCE WITH
THE
INVESTMENT POOL. SO ONCE WE KNOW
WHAT THAT
NUMBER IS, WE CAN HAVE
CONFIDENCE
THE REMAINING AMOUNT
IN THAT NEGATIVE BALANCE IS
RELATED
TO
NORMAL OPERATIONS. SO I'LL STOP
THERE.
>> WE'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU
FOR QUESTIONS AND MORE
DEEPER DISCUSSION ON ANY AREAS
OF INTEREST.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE
PRESENTATION TODAY AND
COMING FOR THIS DISCUSSION.
I IMAGINE MY COLLEAGUES
WILL HAVE A
NUMBER OF QUESTIONS. I KNOW MANY
IN THE PUBLIC
HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN
DISCOURSE ON THIS TOPIC.
AND SO JUST TO GET US WARMED UP,
COLLEAGUES, I'M GOING
TO START WITH A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS AND INVITE YOU ALL TO
CHIME IN WITH
YOURS. JUST STARTING US OFF,
KCRHA
SAYS IN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION
PLAN
THAT EXTERNAL
STABILIZATION SUPPORT IS NEEDED
IN ORDER
TO FULLY ADDRESS FORENSIC
EVALUATION FINDINGS.
CAN KCRHA EXPLAIN WHAT
THIS MEANS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE?
DOES THIS MEAN MORE FUNDING
IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PAY
FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AND
THEIR CONSULTANTS?
DOES THIS MEAN IN KIND SUPPORT
FROM KING COUNTY OR CITY
OF SEATTLE FINANCE TEAMS OR
SOME COMBINATION?
>> THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION.
I THINK WE ARE VERY OPEN TO
SOME COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO
SOLUTIONS.
OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS
UNDERSTAFFED AT THE MOMENT.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF RECENT
LOSSES. AND IN ADDITION TO JUST
NEEDING MORE REGULAR STAFF TIME
TO
DO OUR REGULAR BUSINESS, WE
LACK SOME OF THE EXPERTISE A
SMALL TEAM -- FULLY
IMPLEMENTING THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER NEEDS
THATTHAT ARE AROOMIFICATION OF
JUST BEING
A LITTLE BIT UNDERSTAFFED
IN CORE INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS
I.T.
AND HR AND WOULD VERY MUCH
LIKE TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS
THAT
WE HAVE BEEN HAVING FOR SOME
TIME
ABOUT HOW WE, YOU KNOW,
STREAMLINE GETTING
THOSE RESOURCES TO KCRHA GIVEN
OUR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY AND
COUNTY. SO THAT'S THE
CORRECTIVE ACTION
PLAN.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND
BUILDING ON THAT
POINT, UNDERSTANDING THAT
THERE'S SOME
IDENTIFIED LACKING EXPERTISE
INTERNALLY AND NEED TO
TRY TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL
SUPPORTS, DOES KCRHA HAVE AN
ESTIMATED COST OF THE AMOUNT
OF STABILIZATION SUPPORT NEEDED
AND OVER WHAT TIME PERIOD, AND
WHAT
MIGHT HAPPEN OR WHAT WOULD
YOU DO IF YOU CANNOT RECEIVE
EXTERNAL SUPPORT?
>> DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT
ONE?
>> SURE, I'LL
LEAN IN ON THAT A
LITTLE BIT. TO BUILD ON DR.
KINNISON'S REMARKS A LITTLE
BIT, AN
ELEMENT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR
THIS
EXTERNAL ROLE CENTERS ON THE
FACT THAT THERE'S GOING TO
BE THIS NUMBER THAT EMERGES
THAT THE CITY AND THE
COUNTY AND KCRHA ARE GOING TO
GRAPPLE WITH.
AND THE ALLOCATIONS OF
THAT EXPENSE AND THE HISTORY OF
THOSE
EXPENSES WILL BE IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD
BE VITALLY -- ALL PARTIES
WOULD SEEK TO HAVE ESSENTIALLY A
THIRD- PARTY REFERENCE
RELATIVE TO THE EFFICACY OF
THOSE
NUMBERS, SO TO SPEAK.
SO I DON'T THINK IF WE
PRODUCE THEM JUST ON OUR OWN,
THERE MAY
BE QUESTION MARKS AROUND
THAT. AND THERE'LL NEED TO BE
SOME BALANCING OUT BETWEEN THE
COUNTY AND THE CITY ON HOW THESE
BECOME
RESOLVED. THE QUESTION OF THE
EXPENSE,
THE WAY I VIEW IT WOULD BE WHEN
DR.
KINNISON ASKED FOR THIS
EVALUATION A WHILE AGO, IT
WAS CLEAR TO HER WE NEEDED A
HIGHER LEVEL OF CAPABILITY IN
THAT
AREA, AND WE CHOSE TO
HOLD OFF -- OR SHE CHOSE TO HOLD
OFF ON PURSUING A PERSON FOR
THAT ROLE UNTIL THE EVALUATION
WAS
COMPLETED. WHAT WE KNOW TODAY IS
THAT THE
ORGANIZATION WOULD BENEFIT
FROM A CFO- TYPE ROLE WITH THE
CORRECT LEVEL OF
CAPABILITY AND EXPERIENCE
RELATIVE TO THE
COMPLEX LEVEL OF OPERATIONS.
FOR ME THE WAY TO PROCEED HERE
WOULD BE SOME SORT OF
EXTERNAL CONSULTANT OR
TEMPORARY PROFESSIONAL IN THAT
SPACE WHO'S
ACCEPTABLE TO ALL THREE
PARTIES THAT ACTS AS ESSENTIALLY
THE INTERIM PERSON IN THAT ROLE
AND
ACTS AS THE SOURCE OF TRUTH
FOR WHAT THE RESOLUTION IS ON
THESE MATTERS AND THEN ENSURES
THAT
THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCES
ARE STABLE AND OPERATING WELL
SO THAT A FOLLOWING EMPLOYEE
IN THAT ROLE HAS A CLEAN
STARTING
POINT.
>> AND FOR COST THINKING OF AN
EXTERNAL CFO AND INCLUDING
A YORE OF AN AXANT, I
THINK WE COULD THINK ABOUT
$500,000
OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO CONTINUE ON WHAT'S
NEEDED.
I WANT TO SHIFT GEARS A
LITTLE BIT JUST TO MOVE INTO
SOME
OF THE POINTS ABOUT FEDERAL
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS.
HOW IS KCRHA ADDRESSING
ANY FINDINGS RELATED TO FEDERAL
FUNDING
REQUIREMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE THE
FORENSIC EVALUATION
SPECIFICALLY NOTED KCRHA IS
AT
COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE
REQUIREMENTS BY NOT HAVING
AN INTERNAL CONTROL
FRAMEWORK. YET THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN DOES
NOT APPEAR TO ADDRESS THIS
PIECE, SO I'M WONDERING
IF YOU CAN EXPAND
ON THAT.
>> WILLIAM, YOU'VE BEEN
WORKING WITH OUR COMPLIANCE TEAM
ON
THAT
ISSUE.
>> YEAH, THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN IS LENGTHY AND
COVERS A
LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
YOU'LL SEE REFERENCES IN THERE
TO KOSO FRAMEWORK AND OTHER
MATTERS. WE FEEL STRONGLY WE'RE
IN GOOD
SHAPE THERE. IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF
THE CHANGES
WHEN CLARK NEWBURGH WAS
EVALUATING AND CALLING OUT
ACTIVITIES IN THE '22, '23,
'24
FRAME. WE HAD A CONTROLLER COME
IN
ACTUALLY 2025.
WE HAD RESULTS FROM
OTHER EVALUATIONS AND AUDITS
THAT WERE
INFORMED THE NEED TO IMPROVE
MANY OF THOSE PRACTICES.
WE HAVE
CURRENTLY IN OUR CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN DASHBOARD
A SECTION SPECIFICALLY
CALLING WHAT I CALL OUR HUD
READINESS.
SO WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT BY
THE AUGUST 26th DEADLINE THAT WE
HAVE IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE OF
ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS BEING
MET,
IMPLEMENTED IN PLACE AND
DOCUMENTED PROPERLY.
>> AUGUST 26th IS WHEN WE WILL
SUBMIT OUR APPLICATION TO HUD.
AND SO WHEN WE SUBMIT
THAT, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY
AT THAT
TIME ANY ISSUES THAT MIGHT
REFLECT THAT POINT ARE
RESOLVED.
>> I KNOW IN CLARK MEMBER'S
EVALUATION, THERE WAS
IDENTIFICATION SOME OF THESE
FINDINGS, IN ORDER TO RESOLVE
THEM, THERE'S A SEQUENTIAL
ORDER THAT SHOULD BE IN PLACE IN
ORDER FOR THEM TO
BE SUCCESSFUL. I'M WONDERING
HOW KCRHA
INTEGRATED CLARK
NEWBURGH'S RECOMMENDATIONS SOME
OF
THESE ACTIONS HAVE TO HAVE
IN A
SPECIFIC ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> AGAIN, THE OVERALL CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN ENCOMPASSES OVER
70 DIFFERENT MILESTONE
COMPONENTS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE
INTERRELATED AND
SEQUENCED.
>> I WOULD SAY WE ALSO USED A
RISK FRAMEWORK.
SO ADDRESSING THE HIGHEST
RISK ITEMS FIRST AND
PRIORITIZING THOSE.
SO WHILE SORT OF SMALLER IN IN
IMPACT, THE HIGH- RISK AREAS
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY
AND COUNTY ASKED US TO ADDRESS
FIRST WERE AROUND THOSE
CASH EQUIVALENT ITEMS, SO
THE BUSINESS CARD, PURCHASE
CARD,
GIFT CARDS, AND HOW WE
REIMBURSE EMPLOYEES.
WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT
FAIRLY QUICKLY BECAUSE MANY OF
THOSE PRACTICES WERE IN PLACE.
AGAIN, NOT WELL- DOCUMENTED
OR PEOPLE HAD -- BECAUSE WE HAD
VACANCIES, PEOPLE WERE STIRRING
OUTSIDE OF THE POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES, SO WE LOCKED
THAT DOWN IMMEDIATELY.
AND SO THAT WAS AN
IMPORTANT STEP JUST IN
MITIGATING ANY
RISK
THERE. AND THEN AS WILLIAM SAID,
THIS ISSUE OF THE UNRECONCILED
FUNDS I THINK IS AT THE CENTER
OF
OUR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, AND SO
THAT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR
SOME
TIME.
>> I WANT TO TAKE A
STEP BACK JUST IN TERMS OF THE
INTERNAL CONTROL FRAME.
WILL WE HAVE AN INTERNAL CONTROL
FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED BY
AUGUST?
>> YES.
WE HAVE AN INTERNAL
CONTROL FRAMEWORK ACTIVE RIGHT
NOW. THE THOROUGH AND
COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION OF
THAT FRAMEWORK IS BEING
COMPLETED IN THE
COMING
MONTHS. MOST OF THE CORE
DOCUMENTS
ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
THE FRAMEWORK OUTLINE IS IN
PLACE.
AND AS I NOTED, THAT'S
OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE AND
FOCUS BECAUSE OF THE FIXED
RUNWAY RELATIVE TO THAT.
AND I JUST EVALUATED
THE DASHBOARD ON THAT YESTERDAY
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE
GOING.
AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT
WHERE WE'RE AT WITH
THAT.
>> INTERESTED IN THAT PART
BEING CRITICAL FOR COMPLIANCE.
THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, THOSE ARE
JUST SOME
OF MY WARMUP QUESTIONS FOR THIS
DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO YOU ALL
AND ALSO RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA JOINING US
AS
TODAY'S
SPECIAL GUEST.
WELCOME. GOING TO COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
FIRST, I'LL START WITH VICE
CHAIR
FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, WILLIAM,
AND CEO KINNISO NCHG.
I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSES
TO MANY OF OUR QUESTIONS AND
ENGAGEMENT OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS.
I'LL LOOKING FORWARD TO
OUR CONVERSATION TODAY IN
COMMITTEE. I WANT TO RETURN AS I
WAS
TAKING SOME NOTES ON YOUR
RESPONSES
TO COUNCILMEMBER RINCK'S
QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A FEW OF MY OWN, BUT I
FIRST WANT TO KNOW I GOT
CLARITY.
I THINK I HEARD YOU MENTION
500,000 AROUND THE EXTERNAL CFO
ROLE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I
HEARD
YOU CORRECTLY.
CAN YOU JUST SHARE THAT
THINKING AGAIN.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR
THAT INTERNAL HIRE APPROACH,
RIGHT?
CAN I HEAR A LITTLE BIT
MORE?
>> YEAH, SO THAT'S A BACK OF
THE NAPKIN APPROACH.
IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHICH FIRM
WE CONTRACTED FROM, HOW LONG WE
WANTED TO BRING THAT KIND
OF EXPERTISE IN.
BULLET IN THINKING, YOU KNOW,
WHAT WE -- THE AGENCY HAS HAD A
CFO, A TEMPORARY OR EXTERNAL CFO
REALLY FOR ALL OF ITS TENURE.
AND THAT COST FOR ROBERT'S
HALF IS IN THE
REPORT. IT WOULD BE ABOUT THE
SAME,
AND THEN WE DO HAVE SOME
ADDITIONAL
ACCOUNTING TEAM NEEDS SOME
OF WHICH ARE IN OUR BUDGET,
SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT.
SO JUST SORT OF A BALLPARK FOR
YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW CLARK
NEWBURGH WAS GENEROUS
IN PROVIDING AN ESTIMATE WHAT
IT MIGHT COST TO BRING FORENSIC
CONSULTANTS IN TO DO THIS
WORK.
>>
RIGHT.
>> BUT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE,
LIKE, THAT MAY NOT BE THE LEVEL
OF ASSISTANCE THAT
WE NEED.
>> GOT IT.
AND THEN -- AND I APPRECIATE
THAT.
THAT WAS A GOOD SEGUE SORT
OF INTO MY NEXT PART OF
THIS
QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THE SORT
OF -- THE
POTENTIAL NEED FOR THE
FORENSIC EVALUATION TO KIND OF
UNDERSTAND
THIS. AND I KNOW, WILLIAM, YOU
SPOKE
TO THIS A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
WHAT I THOUGHT I HEARD FROM YOU,
WILLIAM, WAS IN REGARD TO
THE ACCOUNT RECEIVABLES AND
RESOURCES PAID
TO PROVIDERS BUT HAVE NOT BEEN
BILLED CORRECTLY
TO THE AGENCY.
AND WHAT I BELIEVE I HEARD
YOU SAY, WILLIAM, IS
YOUR UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW IS
THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF
THOSE RECEIVABLES SIT BETWEEN
THE
CITY, THE COUNTY, AND KCRHA.
BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT IT WOULD TAKE SIGNIFICANT
TIME AND EXPENSE IN ORDER TO
ACCURATELY RECONSTRUCT THOSE.
AND I THOUGHT I WAS
HEARING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM
YOU
ALL TODAY, SO I WANT TO ASK FOR
A
LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION
ON
THAT POINT.
>> YEAH, DEEPLY APPRECIATE THAT
QUESTION, AND IT KIND OF
SEGUES INTO THE RESPONSE AROUND
THE
COST. AS I WAS DESCRIBING
EARLIER, THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOU
CAN COME
AT THIS RECEIVABLES ISSUES.
YOU CAN DO A CASH
ACCOUNTING, WHICH IS GOING TO
TELL
YOU SPECIFICALLY OF THOSE
RECEIVABLES, WHICH
ONES ACCRUE TO KING COUNTY, AND
WHICH
ONES ACCRUE TO THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
AND THAT IS AN EXERCISE THAT
CAN BE COMPLETED, IN FACT, WILL
BE
COMPLETED IN THE COMING
WEEKS BECAUSE IT'S RATHER JUST
LIKE LOOKING AT YOUR BANK
STATEMENT.
YOU CAN SEE THE EXPENSES
LISTED. YOU CAN SEE THE INCOME,
AND
WE REALLY ONLY HAVE FIVE BANDS
OF OPERATIONAL FLOW FOR THOSE
FUNDS.
SO WE WILL KNOW PRETTY SOON
IN THE COMING WEEKS WHAT THOSE
NUMBERS ARE, AND THIS SPEAKS TO
THE NOTE THAT MIKE NURSE
FROM
CLARK NEWBURGH MADE DURING THE
PRESENTATION RELATIVE TO
THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH
WOULD IT COST TO FIGURE THAT
OUT.
AND MIKE NOTED IF YOU HIRED
HIS WHOLE TEAM TO COME IN AND DO
IT, IT COULD BE VERY,
VERY
EXPENSIVE. HE ALSO NOTED THAT'S
NOT
HOW YOU WOULD GO ABOUT IT,
THOUGH.
BUT HIS POINT WAS SALIENT, IN
THAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GO
BACK INTO THE 2022 OR 2023
AND DETERMINE EXACTLY WHY THIS
$35,000 ROLLOVER FROM ONE
CONTRACT TO ANOTHER
THATTHAT AGREED TO MOVE
DIDN'T GET BILLED, IT WOULD BE
VERY EXPENSIVE TO TRY AND TRACK
DOWN TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL
THE PARTICULARS OF THOSE.
BUT FROM A CASH ANALYSIS,
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TELL IN THE
COMING WEEKS PRETTY CLEARLY WHAT
THOSE
NUMBERS ARE.
AND I THINK THEN IT BECOMES A
DECISION.
WE WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO
HAVE MOST OF THOSE CLEARLY
IDENTIFIED, A MAJORITY OF
THOSE
FUNDS. BUT IF YOU WANT TO REALLY
PURSUE IT DOWN TO THE VERY
FINITE
DOLLAR, IT WOULD
BE TIME- CONSUMING AND
EXPENSIVE.
AND POTENTIALLY NOT FULLY
ACHIEVABLE GIVEN THE HISTORY
OF
THE EARLIERS.
>> YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT.
ONE THING AND I THINK THIS
MAY BE WORK FOR US TO FOLLOW UP
ON OUR END, AND LET ME SAY
I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE
CASH BASIS AND GOING BACK AND
LOOKING AT THE ACCOUNTS.
I THINK ONE OF THE REMAINING
QUESTION THAT I
HAVE IS WHETHER OR NOT THE
INFORMATION THAT
WE HAVE IN A FEW WEEKS WILL
BE SUFFICIENT FOR OUR NEEDS AT
THE
CITY OR THE NEEDS OF THE
COUNTYCOUNTY IN ORDER TO -- TO
SIGN OFF
ON
THOSE PAYMENTS. SO MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE
SUFFICIENT INFORMATION THAT
MEET OUR CONTRACTING STANDARDS
TO
GO BACK AND DO THAT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO GETTING THE RESULTS OF THE
WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING, BECAUSE
I
BELIEVE IT
WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
NECESSARY CLARITY
ESPECIALLY AROUND THE
$8 MILLION.
BECAUSE AS WE'VE STATED,
THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT THAT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO HAVING THAT
UNDERSTANDING IS CERTAINLY
USEFUL, BUT I'M
NOT SURE THAT IT -- WHETHER OR
NOT IT WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR
THE BILLING PURPOSES.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
THAT WHEN IT COMES TO US, AND
THEN
WE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION
OF WHETHER THE INFORMATION
IS SUFFICIENT.
HAPPY TO TAKE A COMMENT ON
THAT, IF YOU HAVE ONE, BUT
THAT'S
JUST THE CONCERN I WANTED TO
WORK
OUT
THERE.
>> I THINK WE'RE EXACTLY
ALIGNED
ON THAT.
AND THE GOAL THAT HOPEFULLY
THIS WILL BE A GOOD
DECISION SUPPORT TOOL RELATIVE
TO THAT
CONVERSATION.
>> THAT'S VERY HELPFUL, THANK
YOU.
AND, YEAH, AND I THINK WE'LL
HAVE TO SEE WITH THAT -- HOW DO
I SAY THIS? ONCE WE HAVE THAT
INFORMATION, I
THINK WE'LL BETTER KNOW
WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS
NEEDED AND IF IT IS POSSIBLE
AND IF WE HAVE THE COSTS TO GO
DOWN THE
ROAD TO GET THE REMAINDER
OF THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO
COMPLETE THE BILLING PROCESS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
I WANTED TO RETURN NOW TO THINGS
I WAS GOING TO ASK BEFORE.
I KNOW IN THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN THERE ARE TARGETS
FOR
30, 60 DAYS, BUT WE ALSO KNOW AT
THE END OF THE 90 DAYS NOT ALL
OF THE FINDINGS WILL BE
COMPLETELY
ADDRESSED. AND WE JUST TALKED
ABOUT SOME
OF THE COMPLEXITY RELATED TO
THAT.
SO CAN YOU JUST SHARE A
BIT ABOUT WHY THE AGENCY
BELIEVES WE'LL FEED MORE TIME
AFTER
THE 90 DAYS TO RESOLVE THE
ACTIONS?
AND OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN
LEAVE OUT THE ONE WE JUST DUG
INTO.
>> I'LL START THAT ONE, AND
THEN I'LL ASK WILLIAM TO ADD.
SO THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
FINDINGS, AND I THINK ONE
IS SORT OF HISTORICAL CLEANUP.
AND THOSE ARE TANGIBLE
ACCOUNTABLE
PROCEDURES, POLICIES, THINGS
THAT WE NEED
TO -- AND KCRHA IS, YOU
KNOW, BASICALLY SOLELY
RESPONSIBLE
FOR IMPLEMENTING CORRECTIONS
TO THOSE THINGS.
MANY OF THOSE THINGS WILL
BE DONE IN 90 DAYS JUST FOR
CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, REASONS.
IT MIGHT MOVE INTO PHASE TWO TO
REALLY MAKE SURE ALL OF
THE DOCUMENTATION OF HAVING
DONE THOSE IS COMPLETE SO THAT
WE
CAN PRESENT THAT TO THE BOARD
BECAUSE THAT, AS YOU KNOW FROM
THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN, WE
WON'T CONSIDER THE
FINDINGS CLOSED UNTIL THE BOARD
CONSIDERS THE FINDINGS CLOSED.
THE OTHER SET OF THINGS IS
REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE MOVE
FORWARD?
BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS
WITH OUR FUNDING MODEL AND HOW
WE'RE DOING BUSINESS WITH OUR
FUNDING
PARTNERS THAT NEED TO
BE ADDRESSED TO KEEP US
FROM CONTINUING TO STRUGGLE WITH
SOME OF THE FINANCIAL ISSUES
THAT WE'RE HAVING AS
AN ORGANIZATION. THOSE THINGS
REQUIRE A REAL
DEDICATED PARTNERSHIP OVER TIME
TO DO THINGS LIKE STREAM LINE
AND COME TO A BASELINE
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE
INVOICING SHOULD WORK AND
WORK ON THAT TOGETHER AND
IMPLEMENT THOSE NEXT STEPS.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT WILL
TAKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE UP TO
NINE MONTHS TO DO WERE
PARTNERS DEPENDING ON THEIR
CAPACITY AND
OUR CAPACITY. YEAH, WHAT WOULD
YOU ADD
TO THAT, WILLIAM?
>> I THINK THAT'S REALLY AN
APPROPRIATE OVERVIEW,
PERHAPS SORT OF PAINTING A
LITTLE BIT
OF WHAT DOES THAT DETAIL LOOK
LIKE AND MEAN.
EARLIER I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW,
EVERY YEAR THERE ARE MANY
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OF PROGRAMMATIC UNDERSPEND.
AND THAT UNDERSPEND BECOMES
THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
THREE COUNTIES -- THE COUNTY,
THE
CITY, KCRHA -- TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW TO ACTIVATE THE
HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM,
TO ROLLOVER FUNDS THAT WEREN'T
USED INTO THE NEXT PERIOD, TO
MAYBE BALANCE OUT DIFFERENT
NEEDS
BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY
MIGHT HAVE A FUND SOURCE THAT IS
EXPIRING AND THEY WANT TO USE
QUICKLY, AND SO THEY
WILL MAYBE PAY SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT
THE COUNTY TYPICALLY WOULD
HAVE PAID.
BUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO
MOVE THE MONEY THROUGH
QUICKLY, THEY'LL PICK THAT UP.
AND THEN THE COUNTY WILL KIND OF
CONSIDER THAT AS, LIKE,
A QUID PRO QUO THAT GETS
RETURNED LATER.
SO IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
COMPONENT OF THE SYSTEM
AND CENTRAL TO THE PROJECT, TO
THE KCRHA PROJECT, WHICH IS
THIS IDEA THAT THE FUNDING
BETWEEN
THE COUNTY AND THE CITY
AND THE OTHER PARTNERS RELATIVE
TO THE
HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IS
OPTIMIZED IN PARTNERSHIP
AND THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES
TO PERHAPS REBID SOME OF THE
AREAS
THAT SHOULD BE OPTIMIZED
OR UPDATED OVER THE YEARS.
AND IN THE PAST -- YOU KNOW,
IN THE ENTIRETY OF KCRHA'S
OPERATION, THAT GOAL HAS
NEVER BEEN ENGAGED OR
REALIZED BECAUSE OF THE
STRUCTURE THAT WE
HAVE
NOW. SO I THINK THAT IS SORT OF
AN EXAMPLE OF THE -- YOU KNOW,
THAT
PHASE TWO
OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU.
AND CHAIR, IF I MAY JUST
ONE MORE QUESTION HERE.
I WANT TO SORT OF ASK JUST
A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON
THAT POINT BECAUSE I THINK WHAT
I
HEAR IN YOUR RESPONSE IN
REGARDSREGARDS THE 30, 60, 90
DAYS
AND THE WORK THAT
WILL BE REMAINING IS A BIT OF AN
INDICATOR THERE
ARE SOME COMPONENTS OF A
RESPONSE TO
THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN THAT
ARE UNDER THE
CONTROL OF THE
AGENCY. AND HEAR THAT THERE ARE
SOME
THAT REQUIRE DECISION MAKING AND
INPUT AND
ADDRESSING FROM PARTNER AGENCIES
AND FUNDER
AGENCIES.
BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT I'M CLARIFYING
THIS. AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND
MY INTENTION HERE BECAUSE I DO
THINK THAT WHILE THERE IS A ROLE
CERTAINLY FOR THE
FUNDER AGENCIES, I WANT TO MAKE
SURE
YOU'RE NOT -- YOU'RE
NOT SUGGESTING THAT THAT'S THE
SOLE
COMPONENT HERE BECAUSE I KNOW AS
THAT HAS COME UP -- I
KNOW AS THAT HAS COME UP AND
WE'RE TRYING TO DISCUSS SOME OF
THE COMPLEXITY OF THESE AUDIT
FINDINGS, THAT THERE HAVE
BEEN POINTS IN TIME WHERE WE'VE
HEARD FROM THE AGENCY
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE FUNDER PRACTICES,
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE
I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY YOU
ARE
TRYING TO POINT TO THAT AS A
COMPONENT BUT NOT AS THE WHOLE.
AND IT'S MY BELIEF AND
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT EVEN
AFTER THE 90- DAY
PERIOD THERE ARE STILL GOING TO
BE
CERTAIN ITEMS THAT ARE WITHIN
THE
AGENCY'S CONTROL THAT WILL NEED
TO
BE ADDRESSED OUTSIDE OF THAT 90-
DAY PERIOD.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M
BOTH CORRECT IN THAT AND THAT
WE'RE CLARIFYING THAT,
THE
RESPONSIBILITY.
>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE WILL BE LIKELY BE SOME
OF OUR WORK THAT CONTINUES PAST
90 DAYS.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, ONLY HAVING
MAYBE FIVE STAFF WHO HAD
THE SKILLS TO WORK ON
THIS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO
MUCH THEY
CAN ACCOMPLISH EVEN THOUGH
THEY'RE WORKING QUITE A LOT.
AND THERE'S A SEQUENCING,
AS COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK NOTED. AND SO SOME OF THIS
WE HAVE TO
RECONCILE THE $8 MILLION OF
FUNDING THAT NEEDS TO BE
RESOLVED SO WE CAN
UNDERSTAND OUR NEGATIVE CASH
BALANCE.
THEN WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR
KPIC PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THAT
OPERATING MODEL AND HOW
WE PARTICIPATE IN OUR THAT
MODEL, HOW OUR FUNDERS
PARTICIPATE IN
THAT MODEL SO WE CAN
REALLY SHRINK DOWN THE TIME
BETWEEN
US PAYING THE PROVIDERS AND
US GETTING REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR
OPTIMIZATION THERE IF WE WANT
TO SHRINK DOWN THE INTEREST
PAYMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY
THE KCIP WHEN WE ENACT OUR
REIMBURSEMENT MODEL
STARTING WITH ZERO.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, MANY
THINGS WITHIN THE ACTION PLAN
SIT WITH
KCRHA SOLELY TO ADDRESS.
AND WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE WITH
AS MUCH URGENCY AS
POSSIBLE, WORKING WITH OUR BOARD
AND
COUNCILS TO MAKE SURE
THEY UNDERSTAND THE PROGRESS
WE'RE MAKING AND THAT
THERE'S DOCUMENTATION WITH
THAT PROGRESS.
AND I THINK THERE'S
SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE POINTED
OUT
VERY SPECIFICALLY IN THE
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.
>> THAT'S VERY
HELPFUL, THANK
YOU. AND, CHAIR, ACTUALLY, THANK
YOU.
THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION.
SO I -- I THINK THAT'S
VERY HELPFUL IN TERMS OF
JUST DELINEATING THE AGENCY'S
ROLE --
THE FUNDER PARTNER'S ROLE,
BUT THEN WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE
GOVERNING BOARD ROLE, THE
ROLE OF THE TWO COUNCILS THAT
APPROVE
THE FUNDING. AND SO I WONDER HOW
YOU'RE
ANTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, THE SORT
OF PHASE TWO COMPONENT?
SO WE HAVE THE END OF
AUGUST KIND OF DEADLINES COMING
UP.
AND THEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE
COMMUNICATING BACK TO
THE GOVERNING BOARD OR TO
THE FUNDING BODY SORT
OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE --
FOR WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT
IN ORDER TO ADDRESS WHAT WON'T
BE
COVERED IN THOSE 90 DAYS?
SO THOSE PARTS THAT YOU'VE JUST
SORT OF INDICATED
WHETHER THEY'RE CITY ROLE OR
AGENCY
ROLE.
>> YES, SO ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE DECIDED EARLY ON
IS
WE COULDN'T WAIT FOR SORT OF
INCREMENTAL DEADLINES TO
SHARE
PROGRESS. AND SO ONE OF THE
THINGS WE HAVE
INTERNALLY AND ARE
DEVELOPINGDEVELOPING EXTERNAL
USE WITH THE
BOARD AND POTENTIALLY COUNCIL IS
A DASHBOARD THAT'S SHOWING
PROGRESS ON, YOU KNOW, A WEEKLY
BASIS FOR WHAT WE ARE
ACHIEVING AND WHERE WE'VE GOT
BLOCKERS, AND WE CAN, YOU
KNOW, SPECIFICALLY WORK WITH OUR
BOARD TO SAY THIS IS A RESOURCE
ISSUE,
THIS IS AN EXPERTISE
ISSUE, YOU KNOW, WE HIT
SOMETHING THAT WAS
DONE WRONG AND SO WE HAVE
TO REDO IT.
I MEAN BRR THERE , THERE ARE ANY
NUMBER
OF REASONS WHY THERE ARE
DELAYS, AND WE WANT TO BE CLEAR
WITH
OUR PARTNERS WHY IF THERE ARE
DELAYS, WHY THERE ARE DELAYS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE
HIGH-RISK ITEMS ARE FULLY
ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE
SEQUENCING, ANY
RATE LIMITING STEP NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED FIRST.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF
THINGS THAT WE FELT WE NEEDED A
DASHBOARD TO DO, AS MENTIONED IN
OUR PLAN.
THAT IS NEARLY
COMPLETE, AND THEN THAT WILL BE
I THINK
AN ONGOING TOOL FOR US TO USE
ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT
MILESTONES
WE'LL HIT BY WHICH DATES
AND THEN WHAT WILL
CONTINUE INTO PHASE TWO.
AND THEN THERE'S
OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERCEDE.
YOU KNOW IF THE BOARD
SAYS ACTUALLY WE THINK YOU NEED
TO
PUT MORE RESOURCES HERE,
LEAVE THAT FOR LATER, THAT'S
THE KIND
OF THING THAT WE'VE HAD
TO DO SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
ORGANIZATION, AS IS OBVIOUS.
AND MAYBE THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE
FUNDER'S
PRIORITIES AND MAKE SURE THOSE
ARE REFLECTED IN THE
SEQUENCING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK
YOU, CHAIR. AND FIRST OFF WANT
TO THANK DR.
KINNISON, MR. TOWEY FOR
REPORTING ON PROGRESS, NEXT
STEPS, REMEDIATION, ALL
THE THINGS.
ALSO APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH BOTH
OF YOU
IN MY OFFICE A FEW WEEKS
BACK AND LEARN MORE.
NOW IT'S TIME TO CONTINUE
THE CONVERSATION AS WE'RE
DOING
HERE. AND ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR
AND VICE CHAIR FOR YOUR
EXCELLENT QUESTIONS EARLIER.
TICKED A FEW OF MINE OFF MY OWN
LIST SO -- BUT JUST CURIOUS,
IF YOU CAN HELP US BETTER
UNDERSTAND BECAUSE YOU
ALLUDED TO THE FACT -- TALKED
ABOUT
THE ORGANIZATION WON'T BE ABLE
TO FULLY RESPOND IN A
COMPREHENSIVE AND DEFENSIBLE WAY
TO
SPECIFIC FINDINGS OF THE
FORENSIC
EVALUATION.
AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS
MIGHT NOT BE FULLY
RESOLVED. CAN YOU PROVIDE A
LITTLE
MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT AND JUST
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT?
QUESTION ONE, I'LL GET BOTH OF
MY QUESTIONS OUT HERE, BUT
YOU MENTIONED THE -- SO QUESTION
TWO IS HOW WILL KCRHA ENSURE
THAT
THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
IMPLEMENTED NOW AND ARE PLANNED
ARE TRULY SUSTAINABLE AFTER THAT
INITIAL STABILIZATION AND
RECONCILIATION PHASES
ARE COMPLETE?
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, LIKE,
HOW ARE YOU -- HOW DO YOU PLAN
TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ACTIONS
AND
SOLUTIONS ARE TRULY DURABLE,
IF THAT
MAKES SENSE?
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
THOSE ARE A GREAT PAIR
OF QUESTIONS.
AND IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO
THE CORE OF MANY OF THESE ISSUES
IS THE MATURITY OF THE
ORGANIZATION AND THE AMOUNT OF
MONEY THAT WAS
HANDLED BY THE ORGANIZATION AT A
REALLY NASCENT TIME IN ITS
DEVELOPMENT. AND WHAT FOLKS DID
IS
PRIORITIZE GETTING MONEY OUT.
WE ALL REMEMBER
PUTTING PROVIDERS IN A REALLY
DIFFICULT
POSITION, NOT BEING ABLE TO
PAY THEM.
AND SO THAT BECAME THE
PRIORITY, AND WHEN THAT IS
PRIORITIZED, YOU KNOW, WITH THE
SIZE AND
RESOURCES THIS TEAM HAVE,
OTHER THINGS LIKE DOCUMENTING P-
CARD
POLICY ARE NOT PRIORITIZED.
AND IT WAS IN THAT STATE WHEN I
ARRIVED, AGAIN, I'VE
MENTIONED COMING FROM FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WHERE THERE IS LIKE A
FORM IN
TRIPLICATE OF
EVERYTHING INCLUDING GETTING
SOMETHING HUNG ON YOUR WALLS.
AND THE LACK OF POLICY
AND PROCEDURE THAT WAS AVAILABLE
TO ME AS I ONBOARDED.
SO THE BOARD -- AND SO NOW
WE'RE FIXING THAT.
AND, AGAIN, THAT'S SORT OF HOW
I'M USED TO DOING MY WORK.
SO WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED
MANY POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES FORMALLY.
WE'VE DEVELOPED SIGNATURE
POLICIES, WORKED WITH THE BOARD
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE
WORKFLOWS SHOULD GO OVERTIME
AND HAVE ADJUSTED WITH NEW
BOARDS.
AND SO I'LL TURN IT WITH
WILLIAM
TO GET INTO SOME THE DETAILS
OF THE HISTORIAL
RECONCILIATION PROBLEMS WE ARE
LIKELY TO
HAVE, BUT I THINK FUND LTALLY
A GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION
THAT'S HANDLING PUBLIC FUNDS,
YOU HAVE
GOT TO HAVE YOUR POLICIES
AND PROCEDURES DOCUMENTED AND
HAVE
WAYS TO, YOU KNOW,
REGULARLY ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
BEING
FOLLOWED.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN
UNDERWAY SINCE I ARRIVED,
CONTINUES TO BE UNDERWAY IN OUR
FINANCE SPACE, THAT IS THE
WAY THAT WE SUSTAIN BEST
PRACTICES AND ENSURE THEY'RE
BEING
FOLLOWED.
>> YEAH, I WOULD JUST ADD
I APPRECIATE THE
QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY RELATIVE
TO A
QUESTION, CHAIR RINCK
CENTERED IN ON AS WELL, RELATIVE
TO
THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES,
DOCUMENTATIONS, HUD
READINESS, IF YOU WILL, TO CFR-
200
COMPLIANCE, COSO COMPLIANCE.
THE CLARK NEWBURGH
LEGISLATION HIGHLIGHTED THOSE
THINGS
AND FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE
REVIEWING 22, 24, AND 25 THOSE
WERE
REALLY CLEAR AREAS OF PRIME
IMPROVEMENT.
THE ORGANIZATION BEGAN
RECTIFYING THOSE WITH
THE ARRIVAL OF A CONTROLLER
AND CONTINUED THAT TO
PRESENT WHERE WE ARE NOW IN A
PLACE OF
REALLY FOCUSING OUR ACTIVITY
IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
COMPLIANCE
FRAMEWORKS DOCUMENTED,
THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
DEMONSTRATE
THOSE PRACTICES AND POLICIES
AS BEING NOT ONLY IN PLACE BUT
FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.
AND THEN RELATIVE TO THINGS
THAT WILL TRANSCEND INTO THE
PHASE
TWO, YOU KNOW, THE DEEPER
RECONCILIATION OF
UNRECONCILED RECEIVABLES IS
LIKELY TO
TAKE LONGER DEPENDING ON, YOU
KNOW,
THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT
ONE WANTS TO GO INTO THERE.
ALSO THE ABILITY TO WORK MORE
CLOSELY WITH FUNDING PARTNERS
ON CASH FLOW ANALYSIS, CONTRACT
MANAGEMENT, PAYMENT TIMING,
PAYMENT RECEIPTS.
THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE
A LITTLE MORE OPERATIONAL, THAT
WILL BE IN MORE THE PHASE TWO.
BUT THE -- YOU KNOW,
THE REAL IMPORTANT GOAL FOR US
IS THAT AS
WE MOVE TOWARD THE HUD
SUBMISSION, IN AUGUST WE HAVE
ALL OF THOSE CORE COSO
RELATED POLICY PIECES IN PLACE
AND
FUNCTIONING.
>>
THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. VICE CHAIR FOSTER, IS THAT
A
NEW
HAND?
>> IT WASN'T, BUT I
ACTUALLY HAVE ONE QUESTION I
WANTED TO
ASK.
AND I DON'T KNOW -- APOLOGIES,
COUNCIL, FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR WRAPPING UP WITH
HUD ONLY BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD A
LOT ABOUT THIS AS
GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS.
COULD YOU JUST SPEAK AS
BRIEFLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT HUD
SUBMISSION,
THE RESOURCES THAT COME INTO
OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE
ROLE
OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND THE
4,000-PLUS PEOPLE THAT
ARE HOUSED IN OUR REGION BECAUSE
OF THOSE RESOURCES.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THE USE OF THE
HUD COC FUNDS FOR
WA- 500, WHICH IS THE NAME OF
OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE LOCAL
HERE, HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT
ANCHOR
COMPONENTS UNDERGIRDING
THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING INVESTMENTS IN KING
COUNTY REGION FOR TEN
YEARS. THEY HAVE REPRESENTED A
SOLID AND STABLE FLOW OF
FUNDS THAT ARE A CORE PART OF
THE
OVERALL FUNDING STACK THAT
PROVIDERS
PUT TOGETHER WHEN THEY PLACE
THESE BUILDINGS
INTO OPERATION. IN 2025 OVER 500
UNITS
OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
CAME ONLINE.
IT REPRESENTS THE TAIL END
OF WHAT WOULD BE A PEAK
PRODUCTION PERIOD -- HIGH
INTEREST
RATES, OTHER ECONOMIC FACTORS,
AND
UNCERTAINTY AROUND THE FUTURE
OF HUD ARE IMPACTING THE ABILITY
TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THOSE AT
THE RATE THAT WE HAVE IN THE
PAST.
AND THEY'RE CENTRALLY
IMPORTANT TO THE OVERALL
HOMELESSNESS
WORK IN KING COUNTY BECAUSE THEY
REPRESENT A HOUSING OUTCOME OF
A TYPE THAT IS THE ONLY
REAL PATHWAY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS
WITH
CO-OCCURRING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,
MENTAL HEALTH.
SO TO GET INTO
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING,
YOU HAVE
A CONDITION -- YOU
HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF SOME TYPE
THAT
QUALIFIES YOU AS A DISABILITY
BEING INTO THAT BUILDING.
AND MOST OF THE POPULATION THAT
IS SORT OF THE MOST
DIFFICULT FOR US TO RESOLVE INTO
HOUSING,
PERMISSIBLE HOUSING IS
THE PATHWAY FOR THAT.
FOR ME THAT'S HOW I
TEND TO THINK OF THE IMPORTANCE
OF HUD
COC HOUSING EVERY
YEAR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
NEXT, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANKS,
COUNCIL CHAIR AND LETTING ME SIT
IN TODAY OR
JUST WELCOME ME.
I KNOW WE CAN ATTEND
EACH OTHER'S MEETINGS AND
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CHAIR
KNOWS.
WE ALL VERY MUCH CARE ABOUT
THIS ISSUE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH
FOR BEING HERE AND ESPECIALLY
FOR SCHEDULING A MEETING WITH
ME.
I THINK NEXT WEEK I DO
HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WE JUST GOT THIS
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN LAST
WEEK, AND IT
IS SIZABLE, AND REALLY
APPRECIATE
YOU HIGH LEVEL PRESENTING TODAY.
I WAS WATCHING SOME OF MY IN
MY OFFICE.
I DO HAVE JUST TWO
QUESTIONS, AND ONE IS OBVIOUSLY
CLARK'S FORENSIC ASSESSMENT HAD
MANY
ITEMS FOR CORRECTION IN THERE.
AND I THINK, WILLIAM, YOU SAID
EARLIER THERE WERE, LIKE,
70 PIECES TO THAT THAT NEEDED TO
BE
ADDRESSED.
AND FROM YOUR PRESENTATION
TODAY AND WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY
IS YOU'RE TACKLING IN THE FIRST
90 DAYS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF
THOSE, AND THEN
OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO KEEP
WORKING THROUGH.
MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE
OVERALL COST THAT YOU THINK
IT WILL TAKE TO ALL THE
CORRECTIVE
ACTIONS? O THAT IS NOT JUST
HIRING
THE CFO.
WE KNOW OBVIOUSLY CLARK HAD
RECOMMENDATIONS IT WAS GOING
TO COST -- AND IT WAS A VERY
LARGE NUMBER -- TO PUT INTO
PLACE
THE THINGS WE'RE RECOMMENDING
AS
PART OF THAT ASSESSMENT.
I ALSO HEARD YOU SAY, DIRECTOR
KINNISON, THERE WAS A CAPACITY.
I HEARD YOU USE THE WORD
CAPACITY OR STRENGTH
MULTIPLE TIMES IN THIS
PRESENTATION.
SO WHAT WOULD BE A FAIR
ASSESSMENT OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD
TAKE TO ACTUALLY GET TO CORRECT
ALL OF THESE ITEMS MOVING
FORWARD?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
THE SHORT VERSION IS WE'RE
NOT
SURE. PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF
THE SEQUENCING OF NEEDING TO
ADDRESS THE FINDINGS.
SO AS VICE CHAIR FOSTER ALLUDED
TO, WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO
A HIGH- LEVEL CASH ANALYSIS
TO UNDERSTAND WHO -- WHICH
FUNDER WE MAY HAVE MIS- BILLED
OR
UNDERBILLED FOR THAT $8
MILLION OR SO.
THE WORK TO GET DOWN TO
THAT LEVEL THAT
MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE CITY OR
COUNTY WOULD COST
MORE MONEY.
AND SO THAT'S AN OPTION
THAT WE WOULD FRAME OUT ONCE WE
GET THAT
FIRST STEP DONE TO
SAY, YOU KNOW, HERE
ARE THE OPTIONS. WE CAN STOP
HERE, OR WE CAN
PROCEED, AND THIS IS, YOU
KNOW, ABOUT HOW MANY HOURS WE
THINK
THAT WOULD TAKE.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF RECOMMENDATIONS THEREAT
REQUIRE THAT KIND OF SEQUENCING.
SO UNDERSTANDING HOW FAR WE
CAN GET WITH INTERNAL EXISTING
RESOURCES, AND THEN ARTICULATING
A NEED FOR -- A CFO- TYPE LEADER
OR SOMEONE TO COME IN AND
REALLY BRING EXPERTISE
OR PROJECT MANAGE THAT FOR US.
IT WILL COST MORE
THAN, YOU KNOW, THAT 500,000 FOR
JUST
THE BASIC CAPACITY STAFFING.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO
IMPLEMENT THIS, BUT I THINK
YOU ALL AND OUR FUNDERS HAVE
CHOICES
ABOUT HOW FAR -- HOW
MUCH INFORMATION NEEDS TO
BE HAD ABOUT 2022 WHEN WE'RE
WORKING ON SPREAD SHEETS AND
INTERNAL
ENTRIES AND IT'S METAPHORICALLY
IN SHOE BOXES.
YOU KNOW, HOW FAR DO WE WANT
TO GO THERE?
VERSUS IN '25, '24 WE GOT
MUCH BETTER RECORDS.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF IT
THINGS I THINK I NEED TO LAY OUT
FOR
YOU IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE
KIND OF RESOURCE REQUESTS WE MAY
HAVE.
>> AND WHAT'S THE TIME LINE FOR
THAT?
>> I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD
GRASP ON THAT WITHIN OUR 90- DAY
PERIOD OF WORK, POTENTIALLY
SOONER FOR SOME PIECES.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE FULL
PICTURE?
>> I THINK AT 90 DAYS WE'LL
HAVE A REAL SENSE OF HOW MUCH WE
CAN
GET WITH CURRENT RESOURCES,
WHAT WE KNOW BY THEN AND WHAT
WE DON'T KNOW, AND THEN BASED
ON YOUR INPUT ABOUT WHAT YOU
STILL NEED TO KNOW, LIKE, HOW
MUCH MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED.
WE WILL BY THEN HAVE THINGS LIKE
POLICIES IN PLACE, AND
OUR PROCESSES LIKE OUR HARD
CLOSE
AT THE END OF EVERY MONTH,
YOU KNOW, INSTITUTIONALIZED AND
DOCUMENTED, AND THE BOARD WOULD
HAVE SEEN THAT
DOCUMENTATION. IT'S OF THESE
MORE
HISTORICAL PIECES THAT WE NEED
TO
UNCOVER THAT I
THINK ARE THE PLACE WHERE WE
NEED TO MAKE A CHOICE
ABOUT THE RESOURCES WE SPEND
THERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.
I GUESS I'M GOING TO ASK
YOU SOMETHING YOU MAY OR MAY
NOT KNOW AND THAT'S OKAY.
AND THAT IS I'M NOT SURE IF IN
THE CONTRACT WITH CLARK THERE
WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO
REVIEW YOUR CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN AND GIVE FEEDBACK ON
IT.
DO YOU KNOW IF THAT'S
HAPPENING, THAT WAS PART OF THE
--
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT
CONTRACT.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'D
SAY IF THEY REVIEWED THIS
CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN AND SORT OF
WHAT YOU'VE LAID OUT AS A PATH
FORWARD?
>> I THINK LARGELY THEY WOULD
PERCEIVE IT AS AN APPROPRIATE,
SERIOUS DOCUMENT THAT TOOK
THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS VERY
SERIOUSLY, HIGHLIGHTED WHAT WE
ARE
ABLEABLE DO AND WHAT WE NEED
HELP
DOING, AND LAID OUT SOME
PATHWAYS
FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, I WON'T SPEAK
FOR THEM.
I'M SURE THEY HAVE THINGS
THEY WOULD HAVE DONE
DIFFERENTLY, BUT
I THINK IT'S VERY -- WE TOOK
ALL OF THEIR FINDINGS AS, YOU
KNOW,
RESONATING.
THERE WERE SOME -- A FEW
THINGS AROUND THE EDGES WE FELT
MAYBE WE HAD MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THAT WASN'T IN THERE.
BUT THEY'RE AN EXCELLENT FIRM.
THEY DID EXCELLENT WORK,
AND WE TOOK THAT AS A VERY
VALUABLE
TOOM TOOL.
I MEAN, IT WAS KIND OF WHAT I
WAS HOPING TO GET TO FIGURE
OUT HOW DO WE MOVE THIS AGENCY
FORWARD.
>> AND THE CORRECTIVE
ACTION PLAN DOES -- I
WAS LOOKING THROUGH IT -- DOES
ADDRESS
EVERY SINGLE ITEM THAT THE
CLARK NEWBURGH FORENSIC
ASSESSMENT
RAISED. YOU'RE JUST NOT SURE
YET
HOW YOU GET TO SOLVE FOR EACH OF
THOSE.
>> FOR SOME OF THE HISTORICAL
PIECES, I THINK THERE ARE LEVELS
OF RESOLUTION.
SO ARE WE COMFORTABLE
KNOWING GENERALLY -- YOU KNOW,
OUR FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTLY
BILLING OUR FUNDERS
OVER THE COURSE OF COUPLE OF
YEARS.
AS WILLIAM SAID EARLIER, WE
FEEL
CONFIDENT WE'LL GET TO HIGH
LEVEL AMOUNT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
KING COUNTY TREASURY, WHAT
WE GOT AND WHAT WE PAID OUT, SO
WE'LL GET
A BALANCE. WHAT VICE CHAIR
FOSTER ASKED AND
IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE IS, YOU KNOW,
THERE ARE RULES THAT THE CITY
AND THE COUNTY NEED TO FOLLOW TO
REIMBURSE US FOR THOSE
FUNDS THROUGH PATHWAYS THEY
HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND SO WHAT LEVEL OF
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WOULD BE
NEEDED
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN?
AND WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE
WE NEED TO PROVIDE GOOD
DECISION SUPPORT TO YOU ALL TO
SAY
THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW AT THIS
LEVEL, HOW MUCH FURTHER DO WE
NEED
TO
GO? AND THEN WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND ESPECIALLY IN THOSE
VERY EARLY YEARS THE RECORDS ARE
NOT GREAT.
AND SO THERE'S A
TRADEOFF BETWEEN HOW MUCH MONEY
WE PUT IN
AND WHAT THE ULTIMATE ABILITY
OF THE AGENCY IS TO PROVIDE
THE RECORDS THAT WOULD BE
NEEDED.
>> AND WHAT WAS CLARK
NEWBURGH'S
RECOMMENDATION ON THAT?
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY SAID THAT
WAS MISSING AND THAT IT
WAS SOMETHING THAT -- THAT, YOU
KNOW, INDUSTRY STANDARD AND
WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WE
SHOULD
HAVE. AND SO I HEAR YOU SAY IT
DEPENDS
HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO KNOW,
IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT EXACTLY
ALIGNING WITH WHAT I READ IN THE
CLARK
NEWBURGH REPORT.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS
HOW MUCH OF THAT BACK
INFORMATION DO YOU WANT?
AND I GES MY REACTION IS,
WELL, INDUSTRY STANDARD IS WE
SHOULD HAVE ALL OF IT BECAUSE
JUST WE'RE IN 2026 DOESN'T
MEAN OUR
BOOKS SHOULDN'T BE IN ORDER
FROM 2022.
SO I -- THAT IS OF CONCERN, I
GUESS, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO
SAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND I WISH DEEPLY I COULD
GO BACK AND DO IT
DIFFERENTLY.
>> THANK
YOU. I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS BUT
WE'RE GOING TO MEET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
APPRECIATE YOUR -- AND YOU ALL
ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS I
HAD AS WELL, BUT APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK MINE.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY
AND COMMITTEE COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
THANK YOU ALL
COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE SERIOUSNESS
EVERYONE IS BRINGING TO
THIS TOPIC AND DEEPLY APPRECIATE
THE ENGAGEMENT IN OUR DISCUSSION
TODAY. THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
AT KCRHA FOR COMING INTO
COMMITTEE.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS, SO I AM GOING TO
MOVE US TO OUR NEXT ITEM OF
BUSINESS.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR
YOUR
TIME. COLLEAGUES, AS WE MOVE
INTO ITEM
THREE, I'M GOING TO HAVE ITEM
THREE BE READ INTO THE
RECORD, BUT THEN I'M GOING TO
PUT US
AT EASE FOR JUST A COUPLE
OF MOMENTS.
WE'RE SCANT ON QUORUM,
BUT I HAVE TO STEP OFF VERY
BRIEFLY, BUT I WILL BE
RIGHT BACK. BUT I WILL MOVE US
AT LEAST
TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
SO WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO
ITEM THREE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM THREE INTO IT RECORD?
>> ITEM THREE, APPROACH
TO PUBLIC HEALTH TO SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDER IN SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY.
BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
AND I'LL PUT US AT EASE,
AND I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
>> GREAT.
AND WE ARE BACK.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR
THAT BRIEF BREAK.
BEFORE GOING INTO
TODAY'S PRESENTATION, I WANT
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO FIRST AND
FOREMOST ADDRESS A COMMENT THAT
WAS
MADE DURING THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FROM MR. HAYNES
TOWARDS ONE OF
OUR PRESENTERS TODAY, BRAD
FINEGOOD, JUST TO NOTE
FOR THE RECORD WHAT WAS SAID WAS
WHOLLY
UNACCEPTABLE AND
INAPPROPRIATE AND DOWN RIGHT
HURTFUL, SO
I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO BRAD.
I HAVE APPRECIATED
YOUR VULNERABILITY IN SHARING
YOUR FAMILY'S STORY, YOUR
BROTHER'S
STORY. IT HAS GIVEN ME STRENGTH
TO TALK
ABOUT MY OWN
FAMILY'S STORY. AND I KNOW MANY
OTHER FOLKS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY
HAVE STORIES JUST LIKE
YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WOULD NEVER WISH
THE EXPERIENCE THAT MY
FAMILY'S GONE THROUGH ON ANY
MEMBER OF OUR
COMMUNITY OR ANY OTHER
COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> SO I -- I THANK YOU FOR YOUR
GRACIOUSNESS, AND I JUST WANT
TO NOTE I'M ASHAMED YOUR STORY
WAS
WEAPONIZED ARE AGAINST YOU.
I WILL BE DOUBLE- CHECKING TO
SEE HOW THESE REMARKS MAY BE
IN FURTHER VIOLATION OF
COUNCIL RULES.
CLERKS, IF YOU'RE LISTENING,
I'LL BE SWINGING BY TO TALK
ABOUT THIS GOING FORWARD.
I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD, SO
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COVERAGE
ANDAND VOICE IN
SPEAKING.
>> WITH THAT, REALLY EAGER
TO DIVE INTO TODAY'S
PRESENTATION ON THIS TOPIC THAT
IS SO
CLOSE TO MANY OF OUR HEARTS.
AND SO IN TERMS OF
FORMALITIES, I AM GOING TO ASK
EVERYONE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES
AND
THEN INVITE YOU TO GO ONTO
TODAY'S
PRESENTATION. I THANK YOU FOR
MAKING TIME ON
THIS FRIDAY MORNING TO
TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT
TOPIC.
>> THANK YOU, COMMITTEE CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC FOR BEING WITH
US TODAY AND ENGAGING
IN THIS CONVERSATION WITH US.
WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO --
THIS IS A DIFFICULT SUBJECT AND
ONE
WE LOOK REALLY HONORED TO DO
THE
WORK. MY NAME IS BRAD FINEGOOD
AND I
GET THE HONOR OF WORKING
IN SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL KING
COUNTY AND I OVERSEE OUR
PREVENTION
EFFORTS IN KING COUNTY.
AND I I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MY
FELLOW
PANEL.
>> THANK YOU, BRAD, AND THANK
YOU, COUNCIL, FOR HAVING US.
MY NAME IS CHRIS
KLAEYSEN.
>> MY NAME IS RACHEL MARHILL.
I'M DESC'S SENIOR OPERATIONS
MANAGER.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CALLAN FOCKELE, AND
I'M THE SENIOR MEDICAL LEAD FOR
THE ORCA
PROGRAM.
>> PLEASE PROCEED WITH YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. A LITTLE
BIT OF OVERVIEW OF
OUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A DATA
OVERVIEW, BECAUSE I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE A
LOOK
AT WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING
IN OUR
COMMUNITY, BOTH THE
REALLY TERRIBLE SCOURGE OF
OVERDOSE
DEATHS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED
DUE TO A REALLY TOXIC DRUG
SUPPLY AND THEN ALSO
SOME SUCCESSES WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO
EXPERIENCE RECENTLY, AND
WE'LL HEAR FIRST- HAND FROM
COLLEAGUES ABOUT IT.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT -- WITH THAT EVOLUTIONS
IN MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER, HOW OUR CARE
HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME BECAUSE
WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO DO
SOME REAL
INNOVATIVE WORK HERE THAT REALLY
LEADS THE COUNTRY IN
BEING ABLE TO GET CARE TO THE
PEOPLE
WHO ARE MOST IN NEED AND WHO IS
THE MOST VULNERABLE.
CHRIS WILL TALK ABOUT THE
CITY OF SEATTLE INVESTMENT, AND
THEN
WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE AMAZING
WORK THAT DEESC HAS STOOD UP
AT THE OVERDOSE AND CARE
ACCESS CENTER DOWN THE STREET.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR
QUESTIONS AT THE END.
SO A LITTLE BIT -- A LITTLE
OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT WE
EXPERIENCED AS FAR AS OVERDOSE
DEATHS. THE CALLER WAS RIGHT.
WE HAVE SEEN -- WE SAW FROM
BASICALLY 2018, 2019 TO
2023 JUST A HUGE, TREMENDOUS
INCREASE
IN OVERDOSE
DEATHS. WHEN I STARTED WITH THE
COUNTY IN 2015, WE WERE
AVERAGING
AROUND 350 OVERDOSE DEATHS PER
YEAR, APPROXIMATELY ONE A DAY.
IN 2015 WE HAD THREE
OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE COUNTY
THAT
WERE DUE TO FENTANYL.
AND SO THAT'S LESS THAN 1%
OF OUR OVERDOSE DEATHS IN 2015
WERE DUE TO FENTANYL.
AND THEN WE HAD THIS AWFUL
CONCURRENCE OF SEEING A
DRASTIC CHANGE IN THE DRUG
SUPPLY
THAT WE EXPERIENCED NOT ONLY IN
THE COUNTY BUT IN THE WHOLE
REGION AND ACROSS THE UNITED
STATES
OVERLAPPING WITH COVID.
AND SO THAT HAD MANY, MANY,
MANY CHALLENGES THAT CAME WITH
IT.
AND IN 2023 ACROSS THE COUNTY WE
HAD OVER 1,300 PEOPLE THAT
DIED 06 AN
OVERDOSE DEATH. AND OUT OF THOSE
1,300, OVER
A THOUSAND WERE DUE TO FENTANYL.
SO THAT -- SO IN 2023 WE REALLY
REACHED -- IN THE THIRD
QUARTER OF 2023, THE APEX OF A
REALLY
TERRIBLE SITUATION.
AND AT THAT POINT ABOUT 80% OF
OUR OVERDOSE DEATHS WERE DUE TO
FENTANYL. SO CHANGING OVER THE
COURSE
OF EIGHT YEARS FROM 1% OF
OVERDOSE DEATHS DUE TO FENTANYL
TO 80%.
AND THAT REALLY, YOU
KNOW, FORCED US INTO LOOKING AT
THE
TOOLS THAT WE HAD.
THE TOOLS THAT WE HAD I
WOULD SAY WERE DIFFICULT AND
SUBSTANDARD AND REALLY TRYING TO
EVOLVE OR MODEL OF CARE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE -- THAT
PEAKED IN
2023 ARE ON A HUGE DECLINE.
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE OVER THE
PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A
44% DECREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS.
NOW, THAT'S STILL
UNACCEPTABLE AND EXTREMELY A
LARGE NUMBER OF
OVERDOSE DEATHS.
BUT IT IS GREAT THAT WE'VE
SEEN A DECREASE.
AND IN THE FIRST QUARTER,
THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS
YEAR, WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE A
SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, ACROSS
THE COUNTY IN THE FIRST FIVE
MONTHS THIS YEAR, WE'VE SEEN
ANOTHER
30% DECREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE
THOSE
NUMBERS COME DOWN.
SO THAT -- THAT GIVES US A LOT
OF HOPE.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE
IS A HUGE OVERLAP IN THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE LIVING OUTSIDE, LIVING
IN
SOME SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND
OVERDOSE DEATHS.
WE KNOW
THAT, AS WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER
WITH THE KING
COUNTY REGIONAL HOUSING
AUTHORITY,
THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE THE SICKEST ARE OFTEN -- ARE
THE ONES THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO GET HOUSED, AND
THAT'S
IMPERATIVE. AND WE NEED TO
CONTINUE
TO EVOLVE OUR MODEL OF CARE
TO REACH THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE
WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT -- IT'S
PARAMOUNT THEY THEY HAVE TO
BE HOUSED WITHIN OUR
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
SYSTEM.
AND WHEN THEY ARE -- AND
WHEN PEOPLE CLOSE THEIR DOORS,
THAT ALSO PRESENTS RISKS, AND SO
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH
PARTNERS AT KING COUNTY
REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY AND
HOUSING PARTNERS
TO EVOLVE MODELS OF CARE TO
ADDRESS OVERDOSE RISKS IN
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AND I'M
ALSO HAPPY TO NOTE THAT
PROPORTIONALLY TO THE OVERALL
DECREASE TO OVERDOSE DEATHS,
OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONGST
PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE AND IN
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ALSO CONTINUE
TO
DECREASE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE OVERALL
OVER HALF OF THE PEOPLE IN
2025 WHO DIED IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE OF
OVERDOSE WERE WITHIN THE
HOUSINGIDARY OR HOUSING -- OR
THE UNHOUSED
AND
PERMANENT SUPPORT CONTINUUM. AND
WE ALSO HAVE SEEN HUGE
DISPARITIES. WE KNOW THAT BLACK
AND
AFRICAN AMERICAN
INDIVIDUALS HAVE
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS
FROM
OVERDOSE AND OVERDOSE DEATHS. WE
ALSO KNOW THAT OUR
LATINX POPULATION IS CONTINUING
TO
SEE INCREASES IN OVERDOSE
DEATHS, SO THIS CONTINUES TO BE
A
FOCUS OF THE WORK THAT WE DO
TRYING TO
ADDRESS THE DISPARITIES IN
OVERDOSE DEATHS IN UNHOUSED
POPULATIONS AND IN OUR -- IN OUR
COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR. SO PIVOTING A LITTLE
BIT TO
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW
WORKS, AND THIS IS GOING TO ALSO
DOVE TAIL INTO WHAT OUR
FRIENDS AT DESC IS GOING TO TALK
ABOUT
TODAY, THAT ONE OF THE
BEST TOOLS WITHOUT A DOUBT
ARE MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE
USE DISORDER.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN MEDICATIONS
FOR OPIATE USE DISORDER
ARE SHOWN TO DECREASE DEATHS BY
OVER 50%.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT
FENTANYL HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO
GET
PEOPLE STARTED ON MEDICATIONS
FOR FOR
OPIATE USE DISORDER
AND CONTINUED MEDICATIONS FOR
OPIATEOPIATE USE DISORDER.
I ALSO WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR --
AND VERY CAREFUL AND VERY CLEAR
TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT A GOLDEN
--
IT'S NOT A GOLDEN TICKET.
WHEN SOMEONE GETS STARTED
ON MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE
USE DISORDER, WHEN SOMEONE IS
ABLE
TO CONTINUE TO STABILIZE ON
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE USE
DISORDER, THERE ARE SO
MANY OTHER THINGS PEOPLE
ARE STRUGGLING WITH IN THEIR
LIVES
THAT ARE ALSO IMPORTANT TO
ADDRESS AND NEED TO
BE ADDRESSED.
AND MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE
USE DISORDER ARE JUST
THAT,
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE USE
DISORDER. AND WE ALSO KNOW
THERE'S A
LOT OF PEOPLE USING STIMULANTS
OUT THERE AND SPECIFICALLY
METHAMPHETAMINE, AND THERE'S
NO LIGHTENING ROD OF
INTERVENTIONS WE HAVE.
THERE'S DIFFERENT TOOLS WE
HAVE, BUT THERE'S NO MEDICATION
THAT
HAS THE IMPACT THAT
MEDICATIONS FOR OPIATE USE
DISORDER HAVE. IMPORTANT TO NOTE
IN THIS SLIDE
IS THAT METHADONE HAS
BEEN FAIRLY STABLE WITH THE
NUMBER
OF SEATTLEITES WHO HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO START AND GET ACCESS TO
METHADONE. WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE
TO PIVOT
FROM FIXED SITE METHADONE
CLINICS TO MORE MOBILE UNITS.
SO WE HAVE SOME VANS THAT CAN
GET CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE
AT, MORE EASILY
ACCEPTABLE, ACCESSIBLE FOR
PEOPLE.
WE SAW A HUGE INCREASE
IN AVAILABILITY FOR ORAL BUFNOR
FREEN. IT CONTINUES TO GROW BUT
NOT
AT THE SUBSTANTIAL STATE WE
SAW FROM 2020.
AND LASTLY I'LL PROVIDE
THE
OBJECTIVE. AN INJECTABLE
MEDICATION
IS ANOTHER FORM BUT IT COMES IN
A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT DOSES
THAT SOMEONE CAN GET AN
INJECTION.
AND SO THAT INJECTION
ALLOWS THEM
TO STABILIZE. IT ALLOWS
INDIVIDUALS NOT TO
HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DAILY
MEDICATION REGIMENTS, KEEPING
THEIR MEDICATION SAFE,
OR ACCESSING THEIR MEDICATION ON
A DAILY BASIS.
AND I'LL LET -- I'LL LET DR.
FOCKELE TALK ABOUT IT.
WE KNOW PEOPLE OUT THERE
ARE STRUGGLING.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF COMPLEXITIES.
THEY'RE VERY
SICK OFTEN. AND THE MORE THAT WE
CAN MAKE
IT EASIER TO PEOPLE TO GET INTO
CARE, THE BETTER -- THE
MORE LIKELY THAT THEY'LL START
IN CARE AND THAT THEY'LL BE
ABLE
TO RETAIN IN CARE.
WHEN I FIRST STARTED PEOPLE
HAD TO MAKE -- THE
ONLY OPTION REALLY WAS
METHADONE, AND
PEOPLE HAD TO TRUDGE ACROSS
TOWN,
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, GO FOR A
PSYCHO SOCIAL ASSESSMENT, AND
COME
BACK DAYS LATER FOR THEIR
MEDICATION.
AND WE'VE BEEN REALLY BEEN ABLE
TO FLIP THAT SYSTEM ON ITS
HEAD AND LEAD WITH PEOPLE HAVING
ACCESS
TO MEDICATION BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT'S LIFESAVING. WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO
COLLABORATE ACROSS MULTIPLE
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND
SYSTEMS TO
ADDRESS THE COMPLEX HEALTH
NEEDS, AND THERE'S STILL A
LONG WAY TO GO.
YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO THE
EXECUTIVE FOR BREAKING THE CYCLE
WORK
GROUP, WHICH WAS JUST CHARTERED
TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO
WE DO BETTER
WORK ACROSS SYSTEMS, AND WE'RE
STARTING TO
SEE THOSE IMPACTS, NOT
TO MENTION INVESTMENTS THAT
THE CITY HAS MADE REALLY AROUND
ACCESS AND LINKAGE TO CARE --
HAS REALLY BEEN ABLE TO PAY
OFF, TO LINK PEOPLE FROM SYSTEMS
LIKE THE HOSPITAL AND JAIL
TO COMMUNITY- BASED SETTINGS
WHERE THEY CAN GET CARE.
AND, AGAIN, THE INCREASE
IN LONG- ACTING INJECTABLE
HAS
PROVIDED US. IT'S NOT A --
WHETHER IT'S
A GAME CHANGER JUST LIKE A
REALLY GREAT TOOL WE HAVE AT OUR
DISPOSAL WE HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE.
AND LASTLY JUST FOR ME
NOTING THAT IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE
HAVE
A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT -- WE
HAVE -- WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC
PLAN, WE HAVE TWO GOALS.
ONE IS TO MAKE SURE
TO REDUCE HARM
TO PEOPLE. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE
AREN'T ALWAYS IN A POSITION TO
ACCESS TREATMENT OR BE ABLE TO
RECEIVE
TREATMENT, BUT WE NEED TO
BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE HARM
TO PEOPLE AND BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE TREATMENT TO PEOPLE WHEN
THEY WANT IT, IN A WAY THAT THEY
WANT
IT, AND BOTH, YOU KNOW,
WITH FOCUSING ON EQUITY AND
THE COMMUNITIES MOST
MARGINALIZED.
I'LL JUST END IN
TRANSITION TO -- TO DIRECTOR
KLAEYSEN
WITH THE STATEMENT THAT IN KING
COUNTY, PUBLIC HELPS FILL THIS
ROLE, BUT OUR PARTNERS IN
DCHS FILLS THIS ROLE.
OFTEN HARM REDUCTION CAN BE THE
SHINY THING, BUT IN
REALITY THE TREATMENT SYSTEM
THAT THE COUNTY
STANDS UP, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A
YEAR REALLY FOCUSES ON
PROVIDING ACCESS TO TREATMENT
AND TREATMENT SERVICES FOR
PEOPLE WHEN AND WHERE THEY NEED
IT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE
WANT TO GET BETTER AND THAT WE
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BETTER
WHEN
AND WHERE THEY NEED IT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO
CHRIS.
>> THANK YOU, BRAD.
MUCH APPRECIATED.
AND AS BRAD MENTIONED, MY
PORTION OF THIS BRIEFING IS
GOING TO FOCUS ON HOW
AND WHY SEATTLE INVESTS IN
PUBLIC
HEALTH AND JUST WHERE THAT
FUNDING GOES.
SO BEFORE GETTING INTO
IT A LITTLE BIT, I JUST WANTED
TO SAY
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH
SEATTLE HEALTH
KING COUNTY IS GOVERNED WITH THE
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR PROVIDING PUBLIC
HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND
SUPPORTS CONTRACTS TO
SUPPORT SEATTLE RESIDENTS WITH
ENHANCED ACCESS TO SERVICES,
ENSURE WE'RE
RESPONSIVE TO SEATTLE'S
NEEDS AND ALSO TEST INNOVATIVE
MODELS AND HOPEFULLY
SCALE THEM ACROSS
THE REGION. WITH THAT, IN 2026
HSD IS
INVESTING OVER $35 MILLION
IN PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS.
OVER THE NEXT FEW SLIDES
I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF
THOSE PROGRAMS, WHICH ADDRESS
THE BASIC NEEDS OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, WHO ARE AS BRAD SHARED
EXPERIENCING DISPROPORTIONATELY
POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES REALLY TO
SUPPORT THEIR PATHWAYS
TO STABILITY AND SUSTAIN
WELL-BEING.
OF THIS 35 MILLION, $20
MILLION IS ALKATDED TO PUBLIC
HEALTH KING COUNTY WITH
THE REMAINOR GOING DIRECTLY TO
SERVICE
PROVIDERS. AND JUST A NOTE HERE
AS WELL THE
BUDGET DOES COME FROM A VARIETY
OF SOURCES, GENERAL FUND AND
DOLLARS THE CITY RECEIVES,
AND PUBLIC SAFETY SALES TAX.
SO THERE ARE A VARIETY
OF PROGRAMS WITHIN
HSD'S PUBLIC HEALTH PORTFOLIO,
AND THIS
GIVES A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF
THOSE.
SO FIRST WANTED
TO MENTION HEALTHCARE ACCESS FOR
HOMELESS AND LOW
INCOME INDIVIDUALS. THAT DOES
INCLUDE
PHYSICAL HEALTHCARE AND DENTAL
CARE.
AND THIS WORK IS REALLY LED
BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
THROUGH
THE COMMUNITY
HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM
AND THE HEALTHCARE FOR THE
HOMELESS NETWORK.
ALONGSIDE THAT WE ALSO
FUND PROGRAMS THAT ARE FOCUSED
ON EXPANDING ACCESS TO
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE, ORAL
HEALTH,
AND COMMUNITY BASED RESPONSES TO
ORAL
HEALTH CRISES. AND FINALLY
OVERDOSE PREVENTION
OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE
DISORDER, NOTED IN ORANGE THEY
MAKE UP
39% OF THE BUDGET OR $13. 6
MILLION.
WANTED TO ON THIS SLIDE KEY IN
ON THOSE INVESTMENTS
AND JUST NOTE THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT
TO SHARE THAT SEATTLE IS
INVESTING
ACROSS AN ENTIRE CONTINUUM OF
SUD RESPONSE RANGING FROM
PREVENTION AND
EARLY INTERVENTION TO HARM
REDUCTION, TREATMENT AND
MANAGEMENT ALL
THE WAY TO RECOVERY AND
HEALTHCARE
SYSTEMS SUPPORT. AND THIS REALLY
RECOGNIZES
THAT RECOVERY FROM SUD IS NOT
A LINEAR PATH, BUT FOR
MANY INDIVIDUALS IT REQUIRES
MULTIPLE
ATTEMPTS TO CARE AND
HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT AS
WELL, WHICH IS WHY WE FUND THIS
CONTINUUM. IN ADDITION,
SEATTLE'S
FUNDING IS FOCUSED ON
EXPANDING SERVICES, AGAIN,
TO ADDRESSING EXISTING
INEQUITIES,
BRIDGING SERVICE GAPS, AND
MEETING
PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE TO SUPPORT
MORE
EQUITABLE OUTCOMES.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE I'M GOING
TO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL OF THESE
INVESTMENTS IN A LITTLE
MORE
DETAIL. FIRST UP IS THE
PREVENTION OF FATAL OVERDOSE
THROUGH
TRAINING ON OVERDOSE
RESPONSE, AND ALSO THE
DISTRIBUTION OF NALOXONE
OR
NARCAN. CALLING OUT HERE THERE
IS $2.
5 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR
COMMUNITY- BASED ORGANIZATION
PREVENTION, AND MOUD PROGRAMS.
NEXT IS SUPPORT FOR
THOSE EXPERIENCING OVERDOSE AS
WELL AS
FUNDING FOR ORCA CENTER
OPERATIONS. CONNECTIONS TO
SERVICES,
FUNDS PROGRAMS
THAT PROVIDES HEALTHCARE
LINKAGES FOR PEOPLE
USING SUBSTANCES, WHICH
INCLUDES CARE NAVIGATORS FOR
THOSE EXITING THE HOSPITAL TO
ENSURE THEY RECEIVE CONTINUED
CARE AS WELL AS $881,000
FOR TRANSPORTATION AND
CASE MANAGEMENT NEEDS AT THE
KING COUNTY SOBERING CENTER FOR
SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
LOW BARRIER ACCESS TO
MOUD SUPPORTS PEOPLE WHERE THEY
ARE WHETHER THAT'S AT THE
PATHWAYS CLINIC AT THE DOWNTOWN
PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER, OR AT
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND
SHELTER SITES AT THE EXPANSION
OF THE
ORCA
POD PROGRAM. AND FINALLY THIS
FUNDING SUPPORTS IN PATIENT
TREATMENT, AND WANTED TO CALL
OUT THERE
THE $400 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR
THE
TREATMENT CENTER. THESE
INVESTMENTS IN LOW BARRIER
SERVICES SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS
TO ADDRESS OVERDOSES IN SUD THAT
BRAD WAS
MENTIONING THERE. NEXT SLIDE.
AND, AGAIN, 2025 SAW THE LOWEST
NUMBER OF DEATHS OF FATAL
OVERDOSES SINCE 2022.
WE DO NOTE WE NEED TO
BUILD ON THAT PROGRESS AND KEEP
IT
GOING, AND REALLY HOW DO WE
DO THAT? I THINK THROUGH THESE
BULLETS HERE CONTINUED
PARTNERSHIPS WITH
TEAMS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE
GROUND THAT INCLUDE OUR OWN CITY
OF SEATTLE DEPARTMENTS
SUCH AS FIRST RESPONDERS AT
SEATTLE FIRE
AND CARE WORKING WITH THE
COUNTY AND ALSO COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH
INDIVIDUALS THAT
ARE MOST IMPACTED BY FATAL
OVERDOSE AND ALSO LEAST
CONNECTED
TO SERVICES.
THE SECOND WAY THROUGH
CONNECTED LOW BARRIER SERVICES
FOR
PEOPLE WHEREVER
THEY ARE. THAT INCLUDES
MOBILE SERVICES AND ALSO
TARGETED INVESTMENT IN
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO
TURN
IT OVER TO DESC.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU SO
MUCH, AGAIN, FOR HAVING US
THIS
MORNING. AND WE'RE EXCITED TO
SHARE
ABOUT THE OPIOID RECOVERY AND
CARE
ACCESS OR ORCA PROGRAMS.
AND, AGAIN, MY NAME IS
RACHEL.
>> AND MY NAME IS CALLAN
FOCKELE.
FIRST OF ALL, TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AS
HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER.
THIS WORK WOULD NOT HAVE
HAPPENED WITHOUT THE CITY AND
COUNCIL, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
AND PRIVILEGED TO BE TELLING
YOU ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN
HAPPENING
THIS
LAST YEAR. SO WHAT IS ORCA OTHER
THAN A
REALLY COOL
ACRONYM THAT STANDARDS FOR
OPIOID
RECOVERY, CARE AND ACCESS.
IT'S AN UMBRELLA THAT INCLUDES
THE ORCA CENTER, WHICH IS OUR
BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATED A
FEW BLOCKS AWAY AT 515 THIRD
AVENUE.
AND OUR PATIENT OUTREACH
DIVISION, OR
POD TEAM. SO THE ORCA CENTER,
THERE'S
REALLY TWO WAYS YOU CAN GET
IN THE FRONT DOOR.
ONE IS THROUGH OVERDOSE
RESPONSE, SO 24/7 ACCESS FOR
OVERDOSE SURVIVORS TO RECEIVE
MEDICAL STABILIZATION, AND
ALSO SAME- DAY ACCESS TO
MEDICATION FOR OPIOID USE
DISORDER. SO THIS IS THE ORCA
CENTER THAT'S ALL SPIC-AND-
SPAN
BEFORE WE ACTUALLY OPEN THE
DOORS,
AND NOW THERE ARE ACTUALLY
CURTAINS
THAT CREATES MORE PRIVATE SPACES
IN BETWEEN THE RECLINERS,
BUT THIS OFFERS A PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO RECOVER SAFELY FROM AN
OVERDOSE
EVENT. THERE ARE PROVIDERS,
NURSES,
24/7 MEDICAL
ASSISTANTS DURING DAY SHIFT TO
HELP SUPPORT CLIENTS WHEREVER
THEY ARE.
THE OTHER WAY PEOPLE CAN
GET THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR
IS THROUGH OUR WALK IN HOURS.
SO FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 11 P.M.
EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, EVERY
DAY OF THE
YEAR, PATIENTS CAN COME IN AND
START OR CONTINUE
ON MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID
USE
DISORDER. AND AS BRAD HAD
MENTIONED
EARLIER, MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID
USE DISORDER
REDUCE MORTALITY FOR PATIENTS
WITH OPIOID USE
DISORDER BY 50%.
THAT'S A NUMBER TREATED OF TWO.
SO YOU NEED TO TREAT TWO
PEOPLE TO POTENTIALLY SAVE ONE
PERSON'S
LIFE.
I PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN AN
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
THERE IS NOT A
MEDICATION I COULD PRESCRIBE OR
ADMINISTER MORE EFFECTIVE THAN
THAT.
IT IS TRULY A PRIVILEGE TO
BE ABLE TO WORK AT THE
ORCA CENTER AND PROVIDE THAT
ACCESS.
WE HAVE SUBLINGUAL AND
INJECTABLE WE'RE ALSO ABLE
TO PROVIDE AT THE MOMENT TO A
LOT
OF PATIENTS INTERESTED IN
ADMINISTERING MEDICATIONS.
ALSO WE ARE ONE PART OF A LARGER
MILLU PROVIDERS IN
OUR
COMMUNITY. USING SOMETHING
CALLED
THE 72-HOUR RULE, WHICH ALLOWS
US TO
INITIATE AND
CONTINUE MEDICATIONS FOR PEOPLE
FOR
A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME
AND ACTUALLY DO A WARM HANDOFF
INTO
OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAM
OR METHADONE CLINIC IN
OUR
COMMUNITY. WE'RE AGNOSTIC TO
THAT CLINIC
PARTNER, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE
EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES
CO-LOCATED WITH US
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
WE HAVE A CARE NAVIGATOR
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND A
PROVIDER OFTEN TWO DAYS A WEEK
IN
ORDER TO DO MEDICAL INTAKES, AS
BRAD HAD MENTIONED YEARS AGO
WOULD HAVE TAKEN DAYS CAN NOW
HAPPEN IN THE MOMENT.
AND THE WARM HANDOFF CAN
HAPPEN JUST AROUND THE QUARTER
TO
THE MOBILE VAN WHERE PEOPLE CAN
CONTINUE TO DOSE.
WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO SHOWERS,
SNACKS, AND LAUNDRY AND
OTHER SERVICES BECAUSE
WE'RE CO-LOCATED IN
THE DOWNTOWN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
CLINIC, WHICH
THE DESC RUNS, AND ALSO ABLE
TO OFFER OTHER BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SERVICES
THERE, SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE
CONNECTIONS
TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OTHER
SHELTER, AND
HOUSING ALLOCATION. AND NAMELY
THE STAR
CENTER, WHICH IS DESC RUNS ALSO
DOWN
THE STREET.
AS YOU KNOW IT OFFERS LOTS OF
SHELTER BEDS -- I BELIEVE
90 SHELTER BEDS FOR PEOPLE UP TO
90
DAYS.
THE ORCA CENTER IS ABLE
TO PROVIDE AND MANAGE UP TO
FIVE OF THOSE BEDS.
SO THOSE ABLE TO INITIATE THOSE
MEDICATIONS CAN STAY THERE FOR
A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN ORDER
TO STABILIZE BEFORE WE DO A
WARM HAND OFF ELSEWHERE.
AND THE ORCA POD TEAMTEAM A TEAM
OF PROVIDERS AND NURSES AND
PEERS ABLE TO
BRING CLINICAL CARE DIRECTLY TO
PATIENTS IN
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
AND SHELTER.
AND IT'S REALLY PROVIDING
CARE THAT WORKS BEST FOR THAT
INDIVIDUAL. AND MAYBE EVENTUALLY
THAT
MEANS COMING TO THE ORCA
CENTER, BUT WE WILL REPEATEDLY
KNOCK ON
PEOPLE'S DOORS AND LET
THEM KNOW WE'RE THERE FOR
THEM.
>> AWESOME.
AND THEN I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW OF OUR
METRICS.
AS BRAD SAID EARLIER,
PEOPLE WANT TO GET BETTER, AND
AS OUR
SERVICES HAVE EXPANDED, WE'VE
SEEN A REALLY HUGE DEMAND.
SO THE ORCA CENTER OPENED IN
SEPTEMBER 2025.
AND THEN IN JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR WE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM
HSD
TO EXPAND THE ORCA POD TEAM
WHICH IS NOW JUST ABOUT FULLY
STAFFED, SO
WE DO EXPECT THESE NUMBERS WILL
KEEP GROWING.
AT THE ORCA CENTER WE'VE SERVED
451 POST- OVERDOSE
PATIENTS BETWEEN THE ORCA CENTER
AND ORCA POD PROGRAMS, WE'VE
HAD NEARLY
8,000 ENCOUNTERS, EITHER
PEOPLE WALKING INTO THE ORCA
CENTER OR
ORCA POD STAFF OUTREACH AND
CLIENTS AT THEIR RESIDENCES,
AND THEN WE'VE HAD 713 UNIQUE
CLIENTS START ON MEDICATIONS FOR
OPIOID USE DISORDER AND 380
CLIENTS START ON A MONTHLY
LONG- ACTING INJECTABLE
MEDICATION. AND THEN WE JUST
WANT
TO CLOSEOUT WITH ONE
CLIENT STORY THAT REALLY
HIGHLIGHTS I THINK THE
PARTNERSHIPS THAT
ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THIS
COMMUNITY.
SO THIS CLIENT WAS A WOMAN
WITHWITH LONG HISTORY OF OPIOID
USE
DISORDER.
SHE'D BEEN TREATED WITH
METHADONE IN THE PAST AND HAD AN
OVERDOSE IN HER APARTMENT.
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S
HEALTH
99 TEAM RESPONDED TO THAT
PATIENT, AND THEY OFFERED
IT IN THE MOMENT.
THE HEALTH 99 TEAM WAS ABLE
TO SPEND AN AMOUNT OF TIME WITH
HER,
DO SOME MOTIVATIONAL
INTERVIEWING, AND SHE DID END
UP STARTING IT.
AND AFTER MORE
CONVERSATION, THE PATIENT CAME
TO THE ORCA CENTER.
SHE STAYED WITH US
OVERNIGHT, AND DURING HER STAY
SHE
STARTED A MONTH- LATE LONG-
ACTING
INJECTABLE.
AS WELL AS WORKING KS CLOSELY
WITH HEALTH 99, WE WORK
CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH PATHWAYS
TEAM AND HANDED THIS PATIENT OFF
TO THEM TO PROVIDE OUTREACH.
SHE HAD MOBILITY LIMITATIONS
AND NEEDED CARE DELIVERED AT HER
HOME, THE PATHWAYS TEAM WAS
ABLE TO MEET THAT
NEED.
>> IF I CAN BEFORE WE CLOSE,
I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE HOW
TRANSFORMATIONAL THE ORCA CENTER
HAS BEEN FOR US AND OUR
SYSTEM
OF CARE. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT I
USED TO GET OFTEN IS, LIKE, WHAT
DID WE LEARN FROM COVID?
LIKE, WE WERE ABLE TO
OPERATIONALIZE AND STAND
UP SERVICES
SO EXPEDIENTLY. AND ONE OF THE
THINGS WE DID
LEARN IS THAT PEOPLE IF GIVEN
A SAFE PLACE TO
BE, WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED
IN
HAVING TREATMENT FOR THEIR
OPIOID USE
DISORDER AND REDUCING RISK FOR
OVERDOSE. SO IT REALLY WAS A
COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY
TO GET START WOULD THE ORCA
CENTER.
IT WAS THE CITY.
IT WAS THE COUNTY.
IT WAS OUR PARTNERS
AT UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON, OBVIOUSLY OUR
PARTNERS AT DESC.
OUR PARTNERS AT HEALTH 99.
FOR YEARS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS
HAVE SAID GIVE US SOMEWHERE
ELSE TO SEND PEOPLE BESIDES JAIL
AND HOSPITALS AND WE'LL TAKE
THEM
THERE, AND THAT'S WHAT'S
HAPPENED. AND THIS PROOF OF
CONCEPT HAS
REALLY PROVEN QUITE AMAZING.
SO JUST HUGE APPRECIATION TO THE
COLLABORATION.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS,
FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
AND ALL THE THANKS TO DESC FOR
ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO ON A
DAILY BASIS.
WITH THAT, ANY
QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COLLEAGUES, WHAT QUESTIONS
DO YOU HAVE FOR OUR
PRESENTERS TODAY?
I'LL START WITH VICE CHAIR
FOSTER.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL
SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU
DO EVERY DAY,
SORRY, AND MAKING OUR CITY JUST
A SAFER AND
HEALTHIER PLACE.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE IT.
I WANT TO -- I'M FIRST GOING
TO ASK IT'S IT'S NOT A
TECHNICAL QUESTION BUT AN
EXPLAINER
QUESTION. I DON'T MEAN TO ASK
YOU TO
GO INTO VIVID DETAIL, BUT I DO
WANT
YOU TO EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT WHAT
PRECIPITATED
WITHDRAWAL IS. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT --
I LEARNED A LOT OVER THE
LAST YEAR ABOUT THE CHALLENGES
THAT PEOPLE
HAVE WHEN THEY'RE
SEEKING TREATMENT AND SOME OF
THE
THINGS THAT REALLY KEEP PEOPLE
FROM SEEKING TREATMENT.
AND THE THING I HEARD A LOT
ABOUT
WAS THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.
AND IF YOU CAN JUST SPEAK TO IT
BRIEFLY, I DON'T MEAN TO ASK
YOU
TO BE TOO VIVID, BUT I DO
THINK
IT'S AN IMPORTANT FACT.
>> LUCKILY, WE HAVE A
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE DOCTOR ON
THE
PANEL.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, IF IT'S OKAY I'M GOING
TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE
RECEPTORS OR CUPS IN
OUR BODY.
>>
GREAT.
>> SO THOSE OPIOID RECEPTORS OR
CUPS ARE KIND OF THROUGHOUT OUR
BODIES, AND OPIOIDS BUY INTO
THEM.
SO OPIOIDS FULLY FILLS UP THAT
CUP. OTHER FULL OPIOIDS, OX
COTTON,
METHADONE, FULLY FILL UP
THAT CUP.
IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE HALF
LIFE OR HOW LONG IT STICKS
AROUND
IN THE BODY HOW LONG IT IS
FULL, SO IT EMPTIES DEPENDING ON
THAT HALF LIFE.
SO FENTANYL IS SUPER
SHORT
ACTING. FILLS UP THAT CUP AND
WEARS OFF.
SO OFTEN THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO
KEEP THAT CUP FULL SO THEY
DON'T FEEL SICK.
EVERY TIME THAT CUP IS
EMPTY PEOPLE FEEL WITHDRAWAL
AND CRAVINGS.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE YOU'RE
TRYING TO CONSTANTLY FILL UP
THAT CUP
ESPECIALLY IN THIS ERA
OF FENTANYL.
SO THE TWO MEDICATIONS WE USE
IN ORDER TO COMBAT NOT
JUST WITHDRAWAL AND CRAVINGS BUT
ALSO
REDUCING MORTALITY
AND
METHADONE. SO METHADONE AND
OPIOID
CAN COMPLETELY FILL UP THAT CUP
AND HELP WITH WITHDRAWAL AND
CRAVINGS. SOME OF THE NEGATIVE
SIDE EFFECTS OF METHADONE,
THOUGH, ARE WHEN USED WITH OTHER
SEDATING SUBSTANCES IT CAN
CAUSE INCREASED SEDATION,
OTHER PROBLEMS AND THOSE KINDS
OF
THINGS. METHADONE NEEDS TO BE
SLOWLY INCREASED OVER TIME IN
ORDER
TO BE AT A THERAPEUTIC
LEVEL, AND SOMETIMES THAT CAN
TAKE WEEKS,
MONTHS, FOR PEOPLE
TO EVENTUALLY GET THAT CUP
COMPLETELY
FULL, AND PEOPLE CAN FEEL WELL.
IT'S A PARTIAL OPIOID
AGONIST, SO IT PARTIALLY FILLS
UP
THAT CUP JUST ENOUGH TO HELP
WITH
WITHDRAWAL AND CRAVINGS BUT
IT DOESN'T FULLY FILL UP THAT
CUP.
IT ONLY PARTIALLY FILLS IT
UP, SO IT DOESN'T CUT SOME
OF THE NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS
LIKE SEDATION, RESPIRATORY
INFECTION, OTHER THINGS
ESPECIALLY
WHEN PEOPLE ARE USING
POTENTIALLY OTHER PREDATING
SUBSTANCES.
THE ISSUE IS HOW DO YOU GET
FROM THE TENTH FLOOR OF THAT
BUILDING
TO THE FIFTH FLOOR OF THAT
BUILDING?
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE ON THE
TENTH FLOOR BECAUSE YOU'RE
ACTIVELY USING FENTANYL OR HAVE
A FULL
OPIOID AGONIST IN YOUR SYSTEM,
YOU NEED TO GET TO THE
FIFTH FLOOR WITHOUT GOING TOO
FAST.
BECAUSE THAT DROP FROM THE
TENTH FLOOR OF THE BIDDING TO
THE FIFTH FLOOR MAKES PEOPLE
FEEL
SICK. SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE
YOU'RE IN AN ELEVATOR AND YOU
DROP TO THAT
FIFTH FLOOR IT CAN CAUSE NAUSEA,
UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS SITUATION
DIARRHEA, IRRITABILITY.
SOME PEOPLE SAY THE
WORST INFECTION OR FLU OF YOUR
LIFE, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S MUCH
WORSE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE TRICKY HOW
TO GET ONTO THAT FIFTH FLOOR.
HISTORICALLY WE'VE DONE
TEENY TINY LITTLE BITS OF
MEDICATION TO GET PEOPLE UP TO
THAT LEVEL.
WITH THE LONG- ACTING LEVELS
THAT COMES IN DIFFERENT
FORMULATIONS AND DIFFERENT
DOSES, WE
CAN GET SOMEONE ELSE UP TO THE
FIRST FLOOR ON DAY ONE, THE
THIRD FLOOR ON DAY TWO, AND THEN
THE FIFTH FLOOR ON DAY
THREE, AND EASE PEOPLE ONTO THAT
MEDICATION
SLOWLY TO MINIMIZE THE RISK
OF PRECIPITATED WITHDRAWAL.
AND THEN THE IMPORTANCE,
TOO, IS THAT FOLKS HAVE TO
CONTINUE TO
HAVE FULL OPIOID
AGONISTS ONBOARD TO NOT FEEL
SICK.
AND IT'S BEEN NICE AT THE
ORCA CENTER WHERE WE HAVE ACCESS
TO METHADONE AND OTHER FULL
OPIOID
AGONISTS TO ADDRESS
PEOPLE'S SYMPTOMS TO ALSO
REDUCE
THE RISKS OF
PRECIPITATED WITHDRAWAL, AND
ALSO WHAT WE
SAY IS PROTRACTED WITHDRAWAL,
WITHDRAWAL THAT WOULD
JUST CONTINUE BECAUSE OF
ABSTINENCE OR ABSTAINING
FROM OPIOIDS. HOPEFULLY THAT
ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTION.
>> IT FANTASTICALLY
DID. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I THINK IT -- AND I'M
GOING TO NOW HAVE THIS CUP
ANALOGY.
I FEEL LIKE YOU WERE SPEAKING
TO MY LEARNING STYLE, SO THANK
YOU
FOR THAT.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
ABILITY HOW TO GET
ONTO THE RIGHT FLOOR IN A MORE
RAPID
WAY, EASING THOSE
WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.
WHAT I HEARD WHEN I WAS -- I
GOT TO
VISIT THE ORCA CENTER LAST YEAR
BEFORE IT OPENED AND DO A TOUR
AND TALK TO SOME TREATMENT
PROVIDERS, AND WHAT I
HEARD REALLY CLEARLY WAS HOW
IMPORTANT THAT IS FOR SUPPORTING
PEOPLE NOT JUST WITH THE
EXPERIENCE
BUT WITH THE UPTICK.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SEEING
THAT IN THE NUMBERS THAT ARE IN
THE SLIDES YOU SHARED WITH US
TODAY,
JUST SEEING HOW MANY ENCOUNTERS
YOU'VE HAD,
AND HOW MANY PATIENTS THAT ARE
NOW PARTICIPATING IN THE
PROGRAM.
SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. MY FOLLOW- UP QUESTION IS
KIND OF FROM YOU TO US, IN WHAT
WOULD IT TAKE TO SCALEUP
INVESTMENTS SO
THAT THE ORCA CENTER CAN
CONTINUE TO HAVE SUCCESS?
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE
ORCA CENTER AND STAR CENTER
COMING ONLINE AND THE IMPACT
THEY'RE HAVING, AND WHEN WE
CERTAINLY SEE AND FEEL THE
FENTANYL EPIDEMIC IN PARTICULAR
IN
OUR
COMMUNITY? HOW ARE WE THINKING
ABOUT
SORT OF SCALE AND NEED TO MAKE
SURE
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE
SUCCESS?
>> YEAH, I THINK -- I
MEAN, FIRST OF ALL, IT IS THE
DEMAND CERTAINLY CONTINUES TO
EXCEED OUR CAPACITIES, SO
MORE INVESTMENTS WITH
PROVIDERS CERTAINLY ARE ALWAYS
--
ALWAYS HELPFUL.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS
BRAD MENTIONED EARLIER,
MEDICATIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT,
BUT SO
IS
EVERYTHING ELSE. SO INCREASING
ACCESS TO
SHELTER RESOURCES IS CERTAINLY
SUPER
HELPFUL, AND OTHER
RESOURCES TO HELP ADDRESS OTHER
SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF
HEALTH.
>> ANYTHING TO ADD,
CALLAN?
>> I THINK WHAT WE ALSOALSO
WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING
THE ONE MOUD PROVIDER FOR SOME
OF THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENTS
AND POP UPS THEY'VE DONE LAST
YEAR.
AGAIN, A DEMAND THAT FAR EXCEEDS
THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE
TO
SERVE. AND I THINK WHAT WE ALSO
SAW
IN THAT SETTING IS THAT THE
FOLKS WHO WERE HOUSED OR WHO WE
COULD FIND THE NEXT DAY AND
OUTREACH, WE WERE ABLE TO
SUPPORT
THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO I THINK THAT WAS -- HAS BEEN
SO INVALUABLE ESPECIALLY
WITH THE STAR CENTER BEING JUST
AROUND THE CORNER, TO BE ABLE
TO HOUSE FOLKS BECAUSE WE CAN
START
SOMEONE AFTER AN OVERDOSE
EVENT -- ACTUALLY, THIS
JUST HAPPENED.
WE START SOMEONE ON A
MEDICATION AFTER AN OVERDOSE
EVENT ON
ORAL MEDICATION.
THIS PERSON WAS UNINSURED
AND COULDN'T BE ENSURED IN OUR
CITY, SO THAT PERSON WAS SENT TO
THE STAR CENTER.
HEALTH 99 BROUGHT THEM TO
THE PATHWAY AFTERWARDS.
AND THEY'D BEEN IN OUR CITY
FOR THREE YEARS AND UNENGAGED IN
OUR SERVICES.
AND NOT BECAUSE OF --
NOT FOR
WANT. IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE FOR
THEM TO BE FOUND IN A WAY TO
HELP SUPPORT THEM.
SO I THINK JUST THAT
CONNECTION OF MEDICATIONS AND
HOUSING
AND BEING ABLE TO OUTREACH THEM
AND
BE ABLE TO LINK THOSE
TWO THINGS -- BECAUSE REALLY
THE SPECIAL SAUCE WHEN WE
FIRST STARTED EVEN PRIOR TO ORCA
OPENING WAS THE OUTREACH.
TO BE ABLE TO SHOW UP
FOR SOMEONE REPEATEDLY AND
WITHOUT AN AGENDA AND NOT
NECESSARILY FOR MEDICATIONS BUT
JUST TO
SHOW UP FOR THEM, TO KNOW THAT
I'M IN YOUR CORNER AND I WILL
HELP SUPPORT YOU AND THE
GOALS YOU HAVE.
AND SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T
COME THROUGH IN THE NUMBERS
BECAUSE IT TAKES TEN OR 20
OUTREACHES TO
HELP SUPPORT THEM AND MAYBE
TO ONE DAY WANTING MEDICATIONS.
SO I THINK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
THE NUMBERS WILL BE SLIGHTLY
LESS ON
THAT MEDICATION THAN JUST ON THE
OUTREACH.
>> I WANTED TO SAY
QUICKLY AS WELL I WANTED TO
THANK
MAYOR WILSON AND THE COUNTY AS
WELL ON THE EMPHASIS ON THE
OUTREACH STRATEGY AS WELL AND
THE
FOCUS AS MENTIONED MAKING SURE
THESE SERVICES CAN COME TO FOLKS
AT THOSE
NEW SITES. AND I WANTED TO THANK
PUBLIC HEALTH AND DESC AND OTHER
PROVIDERS WE'VE HAD
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN
GROW AND EXPAND THAT IN
THE COMING
YEAR.
>> YEAH, I THINK AS HAS BEEN
MENTIONED, A KEY PARTNER IN
THIS IS HEALTH 99 AND THE
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE
WORK THAT
THEY'RE DOING AROUND POP-
UPS, AROUND GETTING FOLKS INTO
CARE AND TRIAGING CASE
MANAGEMENT
AND FOLLOW-UP.
THE IMPORTANT -- ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT DR. FOCKELE WAS
TALKING ABOUT WITH THE
MULTISHOTS IS THAT DESC HAS BEEN
WITH THE FORE RUNNER IN THIS
COUNTRY ABOUT INJECTION AND
HOW THAT WORKS AND THIS MULTI-
DAY THREE-SHOT REGIMEN AND
REALLY TRANSFORMING OUR SYSTEM
OF
CARE BASED UPON THAT.
SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO
TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE
TO ESPECIALLY GET TO THAT THIRD
DAY, AND THEN HOW DO WE GET --
HOW DO WE DO FOLLOW- UP IN A
MONTH, AS YOU SHOWED FROM OUR
DASHBOARD WHAT THE
MEDICATION
INDICATORS. IT'S REALLY ABOUT
GETTING PEOPLE
START ASKED THEN KEEPING THEM
ON MEDICATION TO BE ABLE
TO STABILIZE AND STABILIZE SOME
OF THIS OTHER CARE.
THE LAST THING I'LL JUST
SAY REAL QUICK IS THE
MEDICATION'S SUPER EXPENSIVE.
AND LUCKILY RIGHT NOW
MEDICATION COVERS
THE MEDICATION. BUT WHEN PEOPLE
DO NOT HAVE
MEDICAID, PUBLIC HEALTH
IS SPENDING A LOT OF TIME,
ENERGY,
EFFORT, AND RESOURCES ON TRYING
TO MAKE SURE THAT
AGENCIES HAVE
A FAIL SAFE TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE THE MEDICATION TOTO
RIGHT THEN AND THERE WITHOUT
MEDICAID BEING A BARRIER.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE
MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS THAT
ARE COMING AROUND THE CORNER
HAVE --
YOU KNOW, COULD HAVE A REALLY
DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON
THIS POPULATION OF PEOPLE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO
BE REALLY IMPORTANT WE CONTINUE
TO INVEST IN THINGS LIKE
THE MEDICATION AND GETTING
THE MEDICATION TO PEOPLE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS FOLKS
KNOW, IF SOMEBODY SHOWS UP
AND WE CAN'T GIVE THEM
TREATMENT WHEN THEY WANT IT,
THEY
MIGHT NOT SHOW UP TOMORROW,
RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THEIR LIVING
COMPLEXITIES OR
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS OR
MEDICAL
COMPLEXITIES OR HOMELESSNESS.
BUT THEY MIGHT ALSO DIE AND BE
IN AN UNFORTUNATE PERSON
THAT SHOWS UP IN OUR -- IN OUR
FATAL
OVERDOSES.
AND SO WE WANT TO DO AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE TREATMENT
RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
THE MEDICATION CALLS
FOR SOMETHING WE'RE SPENDING A
LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE
SURE.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING
AND PRESENTING ON THIS
WORK. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE
TIME WITH YOU.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE GOING TO
BE LOSING QUORUM, SO I DO NEED
TO
STOP OUR CONVERSATION HERE, BUT
HOPING WE
CAN CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION
AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SHARING ESPECIALLY THE WORK
ABOUT
THE ORCA CENTER.
IT'S INCREDIBLE, SO
WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE IPDIALOGUE
WITH
YOU ALL. BUT, COLLEAGUES, WE
HAVE REACHED
THE END OF TODAY'S AGENDA.
HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE US, THE NEXT HUMAN
SERVICES, ECONOMIC LABOR
COMMITTEE MEETING IS
SCHEDULESCHEDULE
JULY 22 nd AT 2:00 P.M.
HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, WE'RE ADJOURNED AND
HAVE A GOOD
WEEKEND.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.