Thread by @t_brannstrom

The city of Chicago’s budget hearings continue! I’ll be live-tweeting this afternoon’s Police Board, Civilian Office of Police Accountability, & Dept of Public Health budget requests for #CHIdocumenters @CHIdocumenters

Alderman Michael Rodriguez says that after this morning's budget hearings, when the council heard about efforts to expand access to Narcan - an overdose reversal nasal spray, he's working to get Lawndale staff trained in using it

The Chicago Dept of Public Health (CDPH) has requested a slight increase in funding for environmental health projects, which they see as illness prevention.
They ask, "what does it look like for a city to be attentive to businesses AND protect the environment at the same time?"

Ald. Rodriguez asks CDPH about the status of vacant 30 positions in the city's mental health clinics.

CDPH: It's a challenging time to hire in public health b/c therapists want part-time flexibility & to see patients via telehealth. We need to attract early-career therapists.

CDPH Commissioner Arwady says that CDPH wants to expand a pilot program that sends a parademic & peer recovery specialist to substance abuse related crisis calls

Arwady says that CDPH is most interested in meeting the needs of Chicagoans who cycle between healthcare settings, the criminal justice system, shelters & the street. The "boldest" program, she says, will provide stabilization housing for about 2,000 of these Chicagoans.

Ald. Sposato asks about sex-ed programs in Chicago Public Schools: "I've heard there are condoms passed out in grammar schools, and this bothers me."

Arwardy: As with the opioid crisis, we are talking about harm reduction. The data tells us that young kids ARE having sex.

Data shows that 11% of CPS middle school students & 35% of high school students are sexually active. And that 40% of these kids did NOT use a condom during the last time they had sex.

Chicago Healthy Adolescents and Teens (CHAT) is a partnership between the Dept of Public Health & CPS, to bring services to CPS students: sexual education + optional on-site testing for sexually-transmitted infections:
chataboutit.org

A council member asks about jobless-ness being a public health issue.

Arwady: One program that addresses this (HEAL) hires locals to work at hospitals in their area. "Our hospitals are major economic engines. We want to make sure those jobs are going to local residents."

Ald. Harry Osterman asks why only a small portion of the $85M(ish) that the council voted for street outreach programs last October has been allocated. "We are in a violence crisis and...that money has to get out the door. 542 people were killed in Chicago this year."

Arwady of CDPH says that $16M of that $85M has been applied to non-profits doing street outreach. $10M has been allocated for victim services, and $45M to the Community Safety Coordination Center (to be used over 3 yrs)

Arwady says that: 1) much of that $85M included funds to be used over a 3-year period, 2) as for street outreach, sometimes CDPH put out RFPs for outreach work & there were no "successful applicants." In that case, money went to Communities Partnering 4 Peace, who allocated it

Ald. Osterman is adamant: "We have to spend this money as quickly as possible...we need more city employees doing physical outreach on the ground...it's the operational side of things that concerns me."

Arwady is describing the expansion of postpartum programs for mothers & their babies to get care post-birth, sometimes in their homes. She says, by next year, "I expect that every single baby in Chicago will have access to this this".

Ald. Ervin asks how the postpartum program will be funded when ARP grant funds run out.

Arwady: We would like to see these services billed to insurance ("we think there's a ton of value in it). There could also be philanthropy $. And, CDPH will continue to pay for the uninsured

Like other alderman have asked, Ald. Hadden echoes the need for an increase in care-teams that can engage with people on the ground.

Arwady: CDPH has built up a big clinical network, but 'care beyond the clinic walls' is also important, & we do fund some of that.

Arwady is asked about interventions for crack cocaine addiction, when the main focus is on opiates. She points to the Narcotics Arrest Aversion Program, where those who are arrested & using substances can be sent into treatment instead of processed at CPD: urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/programs/narco…

Ald. Austin asks: what is CDPH doing to speed up the replacement of lead service lines, given that lead toxicity is a public health issue?

Arwady: CDPH works with the dept. of water management to do so, but the process will take 50 yrs to complete.

theguardian.com/us-news/2022/s…

Ald. Jeanette Taylor wants to see more information for kids - and not just high school students - about inappropriate forms of touching, as kids are sexually assaulted in their communities all the time. "Conversations about body parts" is what she asks CDPH for.

Ald. Sigcho-Lopez asks about long-covid data.

Arwady: there are 5-6 large national studies that are recruiting, but the major challenge is that we lack a single definition for it, and the possible symptoms are numerous. "We know it's an immune system problem of some kind."

It's 5:35pm & this concludes the hearing for the CDPH budget, where we heard about countless topics: substance abuse, gun violence, lead toxicity, COVID boosters, homelessness, trauma informed care, ETC. All budget docs are here: chicago.gov/city/en/depts/…

Chicago budget hearings will resume tomorrow at 9AM CT, for: The Dept of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, Office of the Inspector General, & Dept of Aviation