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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 09 - Santa Ana Multidisciplinary Response Team (SMART) Program Progress Report') Community Development Agency www.santa-ana.org/community-development Item # 9 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report October 17, 2023 TOPIC: Santa Ana Multidisciplinary Response Team (SMART) Program Progress Report AGENDA TITLE Santa Ana Multidisciplinary Response Team (SMART) Program 2023 Progress Report RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive and file SMART Program 2023 Progress Report. GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No DISCUSSION At the December 6, 2022 meeting, the City Council approved an agreement with City Net in an amount not to exceed $2,801,700.10 for the Santa Ana Multidisciplinary Response Team (SMART) program to respond to reports for quality -of -life services from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, with provision for three optional one-year extensions. In addition, staff were directed to return with a progress report of the SMART program before exercising the extension option under the Agreement. During this contract period, City Net provided two to three SMART outreach teams from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, and one team from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The presence of SMART outreach workers on the streets of Santa Ana allows for calls for service to be transitioned to subject matter experts who are highly trained in their profession of homeless services, crisis intervention, mental health, addiction, and medical services in order to provide the best response to those in need. Calls for service were reported through the MySantaAna app, the community call line, and through Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) dispatch. By transitioning dispatched calls for service for non -criminal homeless issues previously handled by SAPD Officers to the SMART team, Officers were freed up to respond to calls for service for criminal activity. An added benefit was that the SMART program was able to assume the task of transporting individuals from the streets to shelter or treatment when contacted by either SAPD or City Net. Street outreach exits are difficult to obtain and often involve multiple efforts of contacts in the field with the same worker before an individual accepts services. It is this persistent outreach and encouragement by the SMART outreach workers that can Santa Ana Multidisciplinary Response Team (SMART) Program Progress Report October 17, 2023 Page 2 successfully lead an individual to accept mental health/substance abuse treatment, shelter, or a permanent housing option. After reviewing the contract performance goals and performance deliverables, it was determined that City Net was responsive and provided a benefit to the City. The full report is attached as Exhibit 1. EXHIBIT(S) 1. SMART Program Evaluation and Progress Report Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director of Community Development Approved By: Steven A. Mendoza, Assistant City Manager EXHIBIT 1 MEMORANDUM To: Michael Garcia, Executive Director - Community Date: Development Agency 09/20/2023 From: Ken Gominsky, Homeless Services Manager Subject: SMART Program Evaluation and Progress Report Annual Review: On October 5, 2021, the City Council approved an amendment to the agreement with CityNet to commence an enhanced street outreach and engagement pilot program to accept non-violent mental health or substance abuse calls for service for individuals experiencing homelessness. This program was established to lessen the city's dependency on law enforcement as first responders to non -criminal homeless related issues. On December 6, 2022 Council approved a new agreement with CityNet for the creation of the Santa Ana Multidisciplinary Street Outreach and Engagement (SMART) Program. The contract allowed for CityNet to respond to reports of non -criminal homeless related issues from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, with the provision for three (3) optional one-year extensions. Staff were directed to return with a progress report on the SMART program before exercising the extension option under the Agreement. To date, CityNet has exceeded it's contracted metrics in every category, except Covid Engagements in Quarter 1. As per the contract, funds were withheld until the desired metric was achieved, cumulatively in Quarter 2. Street Outreach Covid Case Calls Mental Exits Contacts Engagements Management Dispatched Health Assessments 2023 First Quarter 306 1403 38 457 2878 14 Actual 2023 First Quarter 150 1312 125 200 1750 10 Goal 2023 Second Quarter 282 1472 502 451 2925 19 Actual 2023 Second 150 1312 125 200 1750 10 Quarter Goal 2023 Third Quarter 320 1209 243 511 2273 45 Actual EXHIBIT 1 Memorandum: CityNet 2023 Evaluation Page 2 2023 Third Quarter 150 1312 125 200 1750 10 Goal 2023 Fourth Quarter Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending Pending Actual 2023 Fourth Quarter 150 1312 125 200 1750 10 Goal Annual 600 5250 500 800 7000 40 Goals Total Year to 908 4084 783 1419 8076 90 Date CityNet/SMART Staffing: During the contracted period, CityNet provided two to three SMART outreach teams from 7a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, and one team covering the time frame of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. SMART outreach workers allowed calls for service to be transitioned to subject matter experts who are highly trained in their profession of homeless services, crisis intervention, mental health, addiction and medical services in order to provide the best response to those we find in need. Calls for service were reported through the MySantaAna app, the community call line and through first responder dispatch centers. By transitioning dispatched calls for service for non -criminal homeless issues previously handled by SAPD Officers to the SMART team, Officers are freed up to respond to calls for service pertaining to criminal activity. Additionally, SMART has assumed the task of transporting individuals from the street to shelter or treatment when contacted by either SAPD, QOLT or other outreach services. Monitored Metrics Review: Below please find a review of metrics monitored pertaining to the CityNet/SMART program. Time Frame LAST YEAR Time Frame THIS YEAR Activity Type 01-01-2022 01-01-2023 through through September 15, 2022 September 15, 2023 # of Dispatch Calls Received 12,660 18,288 # of Dispatched Calls 7,789 8,076 # of Street Exits 521 908 # of Outreach Contacts 7,749 4,084 # of Unique Individuals 3,634 3,787 CityNet Time on Scene for Dispatched Call 15 minutes 14 minutes (Average) CityNet Total Time on Call (Average) 41 minutes 45 minutes Dispatch - Number of Calls to Dispatch from the 5,071 5,606 Community Dispatch - Number of Calls received from First 887 535 Responders Dispatch - Number of My Santa Ana Apps received 803 1,334 EXHIBIT 1 Memorandum: CityNet 2023 Evaluation Page 3 Dispatch - Number of Proactive Calls I 839 I 244 Monitored Metrics Explained: # of Dispatch Calls Received Total number of calls received by the CityNet Dispatch Center pertaining to issues within the City of Santa Ana Total number of calls CityNet Dispatchers assigned to field resources. The remainder of the calls were: • Requests for information # of Dispatched Calls • Issues outside the City of Santa Ana • Shelter requests • Pertaining to ongoing case management which were routed to case managers • Etc..... # of Street Exits Number of individuals that were exited from the streets # of Outreach Contacts Number of Outreach Contacts with individual persons # of Unique Individuals Number of Unique first time contacts between CityNet personnel and an individual in the field CityNet Time on Scene for Total amount of time CityNet staff was onscene at any particular Dispatched Call (Average) call Total amount of time CityNet staff was assigned to the specific call • Of interest is the increased transportation responsibility assigned to CityNet during 2023 CityNet Total Time on Call . CityNet has become responsible for virtually all field (Average) transportation services from the field and performed 573 transports year to date • As each transport requires a warm hand-off to shelter staff the increased small amount of time per call is understandable and expected Dispatch - Number of Calls to Number of phone calls received from members of the Santa Ana Dispatch from the Community Community pertaining to issues within the City of Santa Ana Dispatch - Number of Calls Number of calls received from either the Santa Ana Police or received from Frist Responders Orange County Fire Authority Dispatch Centers pertaining to issues within the City of Santa Ana Dispatch - Number of Number of MySantaAna app requests received by CityNet My Santa Ana Apps received Dispatchers that are dispatched to CityNet field resources. Number of calls where CityNet staff identified a homeless Dispatch - Number of individual without call for service or app and stopped to make Proactive Calls contact with that person or group to provide outreach and services EXHIBIT 1 Memorandum: CityNet 2023 Evaluation Page 4 Exits, Where Did Individuals Go? : JAN - SEPT 2023 SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA EXIT DESTINATIONS Destination Hospital Safe Haven Rental by client Living with family Emergency Shelter Permanent housing Staying with friends Transitional housing Hotel paid for without voucher Rental by client with HCV voucher Residential project or halfway house Psychiatric hospital or residential facility Substance abuse treatment facility or detox center Grand Total C-N-4 City Net EXIT INFORMATION SHELTER EXITS Shelter 1 9 Be Well Carnegie Hall 673 2 Friendship Shelter 1 5 HB Oasis Homekey 3 Yale Navigation Center 120 17 North Harbor Homekey 1 819 Bridges at Kramer Place 1 Grandma's House of Hope 1 13 Placentia Navigation Center 1 9 PATH Motel Shelter Program 1 Fullerton Cold Weather Shelter 2 5 Buena Park Emergency Shelter 1 1 Huntington Beach Navigation Center 1 OC Rescue Mission - Village of Hope 1 13 Tustin Temporary Emergency Shelter 2 3 Covenant House TAY Emergency Shelter 1 Casa Teresa Emergency Maternity Shelter 1 1 Families Forward - Santa Ana Motel Voucher 3 11 Illumination Foundation - Emergency Shelter 1 Illumination Foundation Recuperative Care Program 3 908 I Grand Total 819 Law Enforcement Response Times **: The decision to utilize CityNet for homeless outreach and engagement was based on 2 beliefs. 1. CityNet provided staff, subject matter experts who are highly trained in their profession of homeless services, crisis intervention, mental health, addiction and medical services would provide the most effective, compassionate and efficient response to those we find in need. 2. Reducing the number of law enforcement calls for service by removing non -criminal homeless related concerns from law enforcement responses, would decrease overall law enforcement response times and allow law enforcement to focus on issues which were criminal in nature. Comparing calendar year 2022 Santa Ana Police Department response times to the same time period in 2023, illustrates response times overall have continued to reduce. Priority one calls increased from 5 minutes and 13 seconds to 5 minutes and 26 seconds, however all other response times lowered. Homeless related calls for service are generally not of a Priority 1 nature, so it would be expected that this priority type would not decrease based on the CityNet initiative. EXHIBIT 1 Memorandum: cityNet 2023 Evaluation Page 5 Priority 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 1 7m 27s 5m 51 s 5m 18s 5m 13s 5m 26s 2 10m 43s 9m 37s 9m 46s 9m 46s 9m 38s 3 30m 22s 24m 47s 26m 49s 28m 28s 26m 36s 4 34m 04s 29m 42s 31 m 19s 32m 08s 29m 06s 5 49m 13s 32m 32s 33m 55s 38m 13s 36m 18s ** Response times are computed from when the telephone was answered for incidents received via the 911 telephone lines or else from when the call taker initialized the call for service form until the first unit arrived on scene. Averages are calculated using the mathematical median, which best represents typical response times and minimizes the impact of anomalies on results. They exclude field -generated and administrative incidents.** Type and Quantity of Services Provided: Service Type # of Services Provided Covid Engagements 783 Mental Health Assessments 78 Medicaid / Medi-Cal 72 Hygiene Supplies 66 Clothing / Material Donations 258 WIC Referrals 35 EBT Support 28 Social Security / Income 52 Housing Referral 643 Transportation 573 Total Services Offered 1,805 EXHIBIT 1 Memorandum: cityNet 2023 Evaluation Page 6 Where Does CityNet Perform its Work: JAN - SEPT 2023 City Net y-7= SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA MONTHLY TOTALS 4YO84 11434 908 CONTACTS NEW ENGAGEMENTS STREET EXITS LOCATIONS VISITED - O O r'anoraara Heights _ 2et Garden Grove o • -L-0 0 10 F I 0 ®e O O OJ ®10 O 'D V Jestminster ® o O ��� 0 0 0 D9 CD Q ORCHAR r lidwav City • 0- O 00 HILLS 00 nO OO O McF&eO 0 O O 0 O O o 5 8°0 o B 00 0 0 !%2 Oce-vi— O 0 0 g EA5TN, C�C�t5 • � Q VALNUI NORTHWOO© 1.1—tyPerk Founta- O 0 0 08 cc ; Valley _ ® o 4vN 0079- � 1 stpn O E d6 G, a : _ ttacts on the map that are outside the city lines have confirmed city ties 2023 Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Conclusion: While street outreach efforts in Santa Ana are systematic, coordinated, and comprehensive, it is important to understand that it often takes many contacts in the field before an individual accepts services. This is often frustrating for community members who mistakenly assume that a call to outreach teams or SAPID directly correlates with the individual no longer on the streets either through incarceration or shelter. Outreach workers, including SAPD/QOLT, cannot force an individual into shelter, nor take an individual to jail without reason. Additionally, shelter, for some, will never be a viable option. Mental health disorders, including a lack of treatment for the most seriously mentally ill, causes the kind of delusions and irregular behavior that make living in a shelter untenable. For these individuals, it is the persistent outreach and encouragement by outreach workers that may lead to mental health or substance abuse treatment, or a permanent housing option. To achieve the best response from outreach services, it is essential to deploy the correct street outreach team. EXHIBIT 1 Memorandum: CityNet 2023 Evaluation Page 7 CityNet/SMART has proven to be an effefctive outreach mechanism for the City of Santa Ana that meets and exceeds program contractual goals. It is recommended that the City of Santa Ana exercise its first contract extension with CityNet for SMART. Respectfully Submitted, Ken Gominsky Homeless Services Manager