Monday, September 11, 2023 at 6 PM

Agenda 11 items

1. 1.
   23-1149 Committee Minutes Accepted

   Approval of the Minutes of the Public Health and Public Safety Committee meeting of July 10, 2023.

   Roll call: 3 aye

   • Charlotte KellyAye
   • Lance L. DavisAye
   • Matthew McLaughlinAye

   • 📎 Minutes - PHPS - 7-10-23 Full
2. 2.
   23-1289 Order Kept in committee

   That the Director of Housing and the Director of Health and Human Services update this Council regarding repeated requests to provide shelter to homeless residents.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with item 23-1285. Dir. Carroll gave an overview of services and divisions within HHS. She said that the Administration is making it a priority to expand the warming center that opened 4-5 times last winter, which would use ARPA funding. She talked about the day engagement center, which opened about a year ago but has taken a while to be fully staffed. The day engagement center is also a candidate for expansion but is in the early stages. Dir. Carroll also discussed harm reduction strategies based primarily in Davis Square, onsite vaccination, a shower van project in partnership with SHC that may be running by fall, and the possibility of the city becoming a provider to enroll people into MassHealth onsite. She ended by summarizing a recent meeting with city and state staff to explore partnerships.\par Councilor McLaughlin asked if a permanent location for the warming center had been found, to which the answer was no, and asked if any of the temporary locations are in East Somerville. Dir. Carroll said that they are looking at several sites across the city for a one-year RFP. Councilor McLaughlin also asked for more information about short-term shelters. Dir. Carroll said that these would be overnight winter shelters offered 7 days a week.\par Chair Kelly asked about the process of leasing spaces short-term for the city and about what has been done to find immediate shelter for unhoused residents. Dir. Carroll said that most immediate work happens through the Somerville Housing Coalition (SHC) or the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), and that the focus of HHS is on preventing people in unstable situations from becoming homeless. \par One focus of the discussion was on case workers\rquote services and the referral process. Councilor McLaughlin stressed that it is important to build relationships with those in need. He asked about initiatives and resources specifically available in East Somerville. He noted that Fenway Health mostly operates in Davis and that case workers do not do street outreach. The councilor requested information on how many intakes case workers do a week, as well as a copy of the after-action report for the warming center. Chair Kelly asked for the report to include funding sources.\par \pard\f1\par }

3. 3.
   23-1285 Communication Recommended to be marked work completed

   Conveying numerous locations suitable for temporary and long-term shelter for the homeless population.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with item 23-1289.\par \pard\f1\par }

4. 4.
   23-1284 Resolution Recommended to be marked work completed

   That the Administration update this Council regarding increases in homelessness and the direct responses taken by the city to address those increases.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with item 23-1283.\par \pard\f1\par }

5. 5.
   23-1283 Resolution Kept in committee

   That the Administration update this Council on the progress toward providing direct homeless services to East Somerville residents in temporary and permanent locations within Ward 1.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with item 23-1284. Councilor McLaughlin said he thinks the city could be doing more regular outreach and needs more resources to do so. He added that he currently works most often with COHR and SPD in East Somerville. Dir. Carroll said that the Somerville Housing Coalition (SHC) is doing the majority of outreach in the city.\par \pard\f1\par }

6. 6.
   23-1290 Order Recommended to be marked work completed

   That the Director of Health and Human Services engage Somerville Cares About Prevention to conduct compliance checks on establishments serving liquor to prevent over-serving of alcohol.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with item 23-1286. Dir. Carroll said that new alcohol establishments have been meeting with the director of SCAP to do required training on over-serving. She added that SPD and Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) are the only entities that can do compliance checks, but the city could look to reduce the density of alcohol establishments in other ways. Capt. Donovan said that compliance checks have been focusing on underage serving, but have done better with over-serving lately in specific target areas, such as lower Broadway. He also mentioned that SPD is looking to get a court clinician involved in cases of public intoxication where addiction may be present.\par Councilor McLaughlin noted that recently, publicly intoxicated people have been asking random passersby to buy them alcohol. He asked if this is legal. Capt. Donovan said that he thinks there is no liability on the purchaser in that situation. Councilor McLaughlin asked when the last time SCAP programs were used. Dir. Carroll said that SPD or ABCC would need to be involved in any compliance checks, but she believes that the program has not been used since before COVID. Capt. Donovan said he would have Det. Howe speak to the liquor stores about underage and straw purchases.\par \pard\f1\par }

7. 7.
   23-1286 Order Recommended to be marked work completed

   That the Chief of Police conduct compliance checks on liquor stores.

8. 8.
   22-2111 Order Kept in committee

   That the Chief of Police report to this Council, the percentage of requested traffic details for construction projects that have been filled by Somerville Police Department officers, filled by non-Somerville police officers, and unfilled, for the past three years.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Chair Kelly asked about the column on unfilled hours in the attachments (\ldblquote PHPS - 2023-09-11 Copy of 2021 Details (with 22-2111)\rdblquote and \ldblquote PHPS - 2023-09-11 Copy of 2022 Details (with 22-2111)\rdblquote ). Capt. DiGregorio said that the hour column is probably included because different details vary in length. There are 4 and 8 hour details, though they can sometimes be longer. Chair Kelly asked how SPD determines which detail requests go unfilled. Capt. DiGregorio said that priority is determined by location. He also explained the detail assignment process, which uses an app. Chair Kelly also asked how the details are paid from contractor to city to officer. Capt. Donovan explained the process and noted that physical checks are delivered to Auditing.\par \pard\f1\par }

9. 9.
   23-1294 Order Recommended to be marked work completed

   That the Director of Health and Human Services update this Council on the progress of Safe Consumption sites.

   {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with 23-1172. Dir. Carroll said that these sites are now called Overdose Prevention Centers. She said staff met with the state, who is looking at the feasibility of OPCs statewide. A state feasibility study is expected to finish by the end of 2023. Dir. Carroll spoke to some ongoing initiatives, such as focus groups, a program training library staff to deliver Narcan, sharps pickup and clean needle delivery by Fenway Health, and research into a dual kiosk that can dispose of used syringes and dispense clean ones. She added that sharps containers are to go into library bathrooms.\par Councilor Davis asked if the plan on a harm reduction facility is to move forward as soon as possible, or whether that piece is dependent on legal questions being resolved. Dir. Carroll said that there is no update on this now, but the city is keeping all options on the table for harm reduction services.\par \pard\f1\par }

10. 10.
    23-1172 Resolution Recommended to be marked work completed

    That the Administration update this Council on locations of sharps collection stations and work with the Commissioner of Public Works to install sharps collection stations in all public restrooms.

    {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\cf1\f0\fs24 Taken together with 23-1294.\par \pard\f1\par }

11. 11.
    23-0618 Order Recommended to be marked work completed

    That ​the Director of Health & Human Services work with this Council and community partners to determine if the city has a current PILOT agreement with Mass General Brigham and other healthcare providers, and how mental health services can be a component of such agreements, particularly as part of a mental health gun buyback program.

    {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}{\f1\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\sa120\f0\fs24 Liaison Singh said that the Administration is prioritizing the PILOT task force so they can provide recommendations. Chair Kelly asked for the whole council to be provided a copy of the PILOT agreement.\par \pard\cf1\f1\par }