.  GOOD MORNING. FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS JOHN FITZGERALD DISTRICT THREE CITY COUNCILOR I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS AND RECOVERY . TODAY IS MAY 10TH, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH CITY DASH COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON EXTREMITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DOT HEALTH AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGHAN CAVANAUGH AT MEGHAN EMIG AND DOT CAVANAUGH CAB AND A G H AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0415 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT TRAUMA RESOURCES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION . THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MYSELF AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 28, 2024. TODAY I'M JOINED MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER ARRIVAL RIVAL ED FLYNN AND COUNCILOR AARON MURPHY.  I THINK WHENEVER OPENING REMARKS SHOULD BE MADE TO THE PRESENTATION UP TO YOU GUYS. YEAH, I'LL START WITH OPENING REMARKS FROM MY COUNCILORS. THE GOOD I WILL GET TO MOVE. YEAH, WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST PANEL PANEL IF YOU PLEASE JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF EACH AND THEN WE CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. OKAY, GREAT. GOOD MORNING. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN AND COUNCILOR MURPHY. MY NAME IS DR. BASIL OJUKWU TOO AND I'M THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. SHOULD I JUMP RIGHT INTO MY TESTIMONY OR SHOULD I JUST ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO WHATEVER REALLY IS WHY I WANT YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK? YEP. YEP. YES. THANK YOU. I'M ROBYN MARK SCOTT. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION THE BOSTON PUBLIC COMMISSION.  GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ISAAC PABLO. I AM THE MAYOR'S SENIOR ADVISOR FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY. GREAT.  THANK YOU AND THANK YOU CHAIRMAN FITZGERALD FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND FOR ELEVATING THIS REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY VIOLENCE AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS VITAL FOR THE HEALTH OF RESIDENTS AND IN BOSTON AND AS YOU KNOW, THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION PLACES VIOLENCE PREVENTION AS A PRIORITY AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO UTILIZING A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. FIRST, I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WHAT WAS FORMERLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAMS NETWORK HAS RECENTLY BEEN RENAMED TO THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK CHANGING THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM AS PART OF REFOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ON HEALING RESILIENCY AND THE POSITIVE ASSETS OF RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES. WHILE THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS CHANGING, THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE NETWORK REMAIN THE SAME. SO I LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. THE NETWORK WAS FIRST LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2017 TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AS A CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. THIS WAS A SHIFT.  VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE BECAUSE VIOLENCE ITSELF NOT ONLY TRAGICALLY CAUSES PHYSICAL INJURY OR DEATH TO THE VICTIM BUT EXPOSURE ALSO IMPACTS ENTIRE COMMUNITIES CAUSING EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA.  THERE'S A LARGE BODY OF RESEARCH THAT INDICATES WHEN COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE RESIDENTS FEEL UNSAFE. THEY FEEL STRESSED, ANXIOUS AND DEPRESSED.  CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE CAN ALSO LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN AGGRESSION AND VIOLENT BEHAVIORS AMONGST THOSE WHO'VE BEEN EXPOSED.  SO IT ENDS UP BEING A VICIOUS CYCLE ONE THAT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN UNFORTUNATELY RESIDENTS AND CONCENTRATE AT GEOGRAPHIC AREAS IN BOSTON EXPERIENCED RELATIVELY HIGH LEVELS OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.  IN ADDITION, RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS MAY ALSO SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED PARTICULARLY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES WHICH COULD HELP MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF EXPOSURE TO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE.  THE NETWORK IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TRUSTED SERVICES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. KEY TO THIS MODEL IS THE IDEA OF EMBEDDING NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC TEAMS COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. THESE TEAMS PAIR WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH OTHERS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE TRAUMA SUPPORT TO RESIDENTS. THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE UP THESE TEAMS ARE TRUSTED ANCHORS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HAVE CREDIBILITY AND CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC APPROPRIATENESS TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY WORK.  THIS CAN HELP OVERCOME OVERCOME RESIDENT MISTRUST AND STIGMA AROUND SEEKING SERVICES. THE NETWORK'S CLIENTS INCLUDE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THOSE IN VIOLENT INCIDENTS, WITNESSES AND BYSTANDERS OF VIOLENT INCIDENTS AND ALSO THE WIDER COMMUNITY.  THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM REMAIN THE SAME AS THEY WERE AT THE PROGRAM'S ORIGIN IN 2017. WE ARE DEDICATED TO REESTABLISH TEACHING A SENSE OF SAFETY FOR IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTING HEALING AND REDUCING THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE ON OUR COMMUNITIES . TODAY THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION SUPPORTS A NETWORK THAT INCLUDES 90 NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS THE LOUIS D BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE, BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER, BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. IN A FEW MINUTES I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE REVEREND MARK SCOTT WHO WILL TALK IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE ROLES THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS PLAY AND HOW A RESIDENT IMPACTED BY COMMUNITY VIOLENCE MIGHT EXPERIENCE THEIR HEALING JOURNEY.  BUT BEFORE I CLOSE I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ROLE AS THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. FIRST WE FUND THE NETWORK THROUGH OUR CITY APPROPRIATION AND THROUGH GRANT FUNDING. WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE PH.DS WHO SUPPORT THE TRAINING POLICY ADMINISTRATION DATA AND EVALUATION MANAGEMENT OF THE ENTIRE NETWORK UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PROGRAM DIRECTOR O'DONNELL OSGOOD B C STAFFS AND INCIDENT NOTIFICATIONS MANAGE INCIDENTS, PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, CONVENE NETWORK MEETINGS AND OVERALL ENSURE THE FIDELITY OF THE NETWORK MODEL ACROSS ALL PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS.  ADDITIONALLY, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE'RE WORKING TO BRING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED BY A VENDOR IN-HOUSE . PREVIOUSLY WE ENGAGED DRI OR THE JUSTICE RESOURCE INSTITUTE BOSTON TRAUMA RESPONSE TEAM TO ACT AS A MOBILE TEAM THAT COULD RESPOND NEIGHBORHOODS FOR EARLY INTERVENTION AT THE SCENE OF AN INCIDENT SOON AFTER IT OCCURRED . THEY ALSO STAFF THE 24/7 SUPPORT LINE WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS HAVING BPC EMPLOYEES PERFORM THESE FUNCTIONS AND WE THINK THAT THIS CHANGE WILL PROVIDE GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY ,BUILD OUR INTERNAL CAPACITY AND ALSO PROVIDE MORE IN HOW WE RESPOND TO INCIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS BUT NOW I'LL TURN IT TO REVEREND MARC SCOTT WHO WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE NETWORK THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING AGAIN. MY NAME IS REVEREND MARK SCOTT. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WHERE OVERSEE PROGRAMS AIMED AT VIOLENCE PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND RESPONSE PREVIOUSLY I WAS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF WHAT WAS THEN CALLED THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAM NETWORK. I CAN MAKE THAT WORK GREAT. AS DR. OJUKWU MENTIONED, NINE EIGHT NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS OPERATE CURRENTLY THESE TEAMS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AFTER AN INCIDENT FOR PROVIDING SHORT TERM CARE LIKE OUTREACH AND CRISIS INTERVENTION AND FOR LONG TERM CARE SUCH AS ONGOING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS ARE ON THE SCREEN NOW. THEY INCLUDE THE SCREEN NOW. THEY INCLUDE FOR THE BOSTON GENEVA NEIGHBORHOOD THE BOLTON STREET HEALTH CENTER AS WELL AS THE GREATER FOUR CORNERS ACTION COALITION. WE TEND TO THINK OF THAT AS A DYAD TO PARTNERS WORKING TOGETHER IN THE HEALTH CENTER. IT'S ADDRESSING HEALTH AND SOCIAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY BASED PARTNER. IT'S DOING THE OUTREACH, THE RELATIONSHIPS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IF YOU DIG DEEPER INTO THE HEALTH CENTER YOU'LL FIND TWO PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER. ONE A CLINICIAN AND THE OTHER A FAMILY PARTNER WHO IS SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS OF THAT CLINICIAN AROUND THE CONCRETE SERVICES AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THEY'RE SERVING OVER IN CODMAN SQUARE. IT'S THE FAMILY NURTURING CENTER WHICH HAS PUT TOGETHER A TEAM INCLUSIVE OF ONE OF THE CHURCHES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THERE REALLY ARE FOCUSED LARGELY ON THE OUTREACH OF THE AFTERMATH OF VIOLENCE IN EAST BOSTON. IT'S THE EAST BOSTON OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER AND NORTH SUFFOLK MENTAL HEALTH FOR THE GREATER NUBIAN SQUARE, WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER PARTNERED WITH THE MADISON PARK DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OVER IN GROVE HALL, THE HARVARD STREET NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER AROUND PROJECT RIGHT AND JAMAICA PLAIN BROOKSIDE.  SOUTHERN JAMAICA PLAIN TREE OF LIFE BOTH BROOKSIDE AND SOUTHERN JAMAICA PLAIN A PART OF BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM. AND SO THAT BRINGS IN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOSPITAL FOR HUMBOLDT AND COMMUNITY ACADEMY HOMES. WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER OVER IN MATTAPAN AND THE MATTAPAN HOUSE AND OF COURSE AS WELL AS MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY WHO ARE JOINING US HERE TODAY AND UP ON THIS CORNER OF THE ADAMS CORNER HEALTH CENTER IN ADDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS WHICH ARE EMBEDDED IN THEIR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE THE HOSPITAL PARTNERS WHO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES VERY MUCH FORMALLY BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH IS THE CONTRACTED PARTNER AND LONGSTANDING PARTNER OF THE HEALTH COMMISSION BUT AS WELL A BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL AND MANY OTHER HOSPITALS AS WELL ALTHOUGH IT'S MORE INFORMAL FOR BETH ISRAEL, MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL.  SO AND THEN OF COURSE THE PEACE INSTITUTE WHICH IS A PILLAR IN THE EFFORT. SO IN THE CASE OF A HOMICIDE VERY CLEARLY BUT ALSO GENERALLY AS A PARTNER IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND REALLY TRANSFORMING HOW WE THINK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND HOW WE WORK TOWARDS PREVENTING HOMICIDE AND HEALING IN THE AFTERMATH OF IT. I SAY ALL OF THAT TO ALSO SAY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ANY OF THE MOTHERS ALL OF US REALLY IN THE ROOM. SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY ALL DO, THIS IS MORE OF A SLIDE THAT TRIES TO GET AT THE SERVICES SO THAT NETWORK TAKING IN ITS ENTIRETY AND PROVIDES A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, CLOSE FRIENDS AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. SO THE BIG ELEMENTS IN THAT CONTINUUM START WITH INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES TO IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF INDEPENDENT IMPACT THAT INDIVIDUALS AND THEN OUTREACH COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND EDUCATION AS NEEDED AS REQUESTED REFERRAL OF SERVICES TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AND THEN FINALLY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO THE LASTING IMPACTS OF EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE. SO THESE SERVICES ACROSS THAT CONTINUUM WOULD INCLUDE ACCESS TO A TRAUMA LINE FOR FREE CONFIDENTIAL SERVICES, A WAY TO CONNECT TO ALL OF THIS IMMEDIATE CRISIS RESPONSE IN THE CASE OF A HOMICIDE REFERRAL TO ONGOING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN NEED OF ONGOING AND LONG TERM SUPPORT FOR TRAUMA RECOVERY TRAUMA SUPPORT DURING VIGILS, MEMORIALS AND FUNERAL SERVICES.  AS A FAMILY WOULD REQUESTED SUPPORT FROM NEIGHBORHOOD OUTREACH AND EDUCATION AND TRAUMA EDUCATION AND THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THEN COMMUNITY COPING GROUPS HEALING GROUPS.  THAT'S KIND OF ALL FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WANT TO TRY TO DEPICT WHAT HAPPENS.  AND THIS NEXT SLIDE IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT IN THE COMMUNITY SO IN A DAY ONE DAY TWO PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE THINKING HERE LARGE IN THE CASE OF A HOMICIDE, YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE A TRAUMA RESPONSE TEAM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY CLOSE TO THE THE AFTERMATH OF THE INCIDENT. AND THEN AS WE GO AND THEN OF COURSE EMS, WHICH IS PART OF THE HEALTH COMMISSION, A PARTNER WILL TRANSPORT THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE HOSPITAL.  OFTENTIMES FAMILY MEMBERS THEY'RE NOT AT THE SCENE. THEY'RE AT THE HOSPITAL AND SO THE HOSPITAL PARTNERS ARE MEETING FAMILIES IN THE HOSPITAL. WE TEND TO USE THE HOSPITAL REAL TIME.  THE SURGEONS ARE ADDRESSING THE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF THE PATIENT, THE TEAM AT THE HOSPITAL IS ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL NEEDS THAT THE TOOL THAT WE'RE USING IN THOSE MOMENTS IS PSYCHOLOGICAL. FIRST A PFA YOU'LL OFTEN HEAR US SAY WHICH ALLOWS US TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE PERSON TO THEN BEGIN JUST WALK THEM THROUGH THE EIGHT STEPS OF PFA SO THAT THEY'RE THEN CONNECTED INTO ONGOING LONG TERM HEALING SERVICES. BUT IN THAT MOMENT ON DAY 1 HOURS AFTERWARDS THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE HOSPITAL AND WHAT THE RESPONSE TEAM IS DOING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALSO PFA TO WHATEVER RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE ENCOUNTER WITH IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS AND 3 TO 10 THAT TEAM ALL THOSE TEAMS THAT I MENTIONED DEPENDING OF COURSE ON WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD IT'S IN WOULD DETERMINE WHICH TEAM IS DOING THE WORK, WHAT THEY'RE MEETING THEMSELVES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE RESPONSE PLAN AND THEN THEY'RE GOING OUT THEY'RE CANVASING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY MAY BE RECEIVING CALLS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED SUPPORT. I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WHERE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCILORS AND OTHER ELECTED LEADERS AND LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY IS HELPFUL BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHO WE NEED TO BE CONNECTING TO AND REACHING OUT TO. SO IN THOSE DAYS AND IT REALLY IT EVEN BEYOND THE MONTHS GOING AHEAD, THAT'S WHERE IT'S VERY HELPFUL IN THE CASE OF A HOMICIDE. AND I WANT TO SAY WE'RE PROBABLY AT 100% ON THIS. THE HOSPITAL WILL ASK THE FAMILY DO YOU WE DO HAVE PARTNERS WHO CAN SUPPORT YOU. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE SUPPORT?  MOST FAMILIES AND I SORT OF MOST FAMILIES SAY YES AND THEN THERE IS A PRIVATE CONNECTION MADE WITH THE PEACE INSTITUTE. THE FAMILY ENDS UP BEING SUPPORTED BY THE PEACE INSTITUTE. OUR RULE OF THUMB THEN IN THOSE DAYS THREE, FOUR OR 567 IS WE HELP THE PEACE INSTITUTE HELP THE FAMILY. AND PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE IS THAT IN THE PAST WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS A FAMILY WOULD SOME FAMILIES NOT SOMEONE WHO WOULD GET MULTIPLE OFFERS OF HELP WHICH ONLY CREATES MORE CONFUSION AND AND DIFFICULTY FOR THE FAMILY. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THAT PRIVATE QUIET AND FOCUSED AND THAT'S WHAT THE PIECES TO THE TABLE TO PROVIDE AND THEN WE'RE HELPING THEM SUPPORT THE FAMILIES THROUGH THAT AND THEN WE'RE DESIGNERS SO THAT AS YOU COME THROUGH THE FUNERAL, AS YOU'RE BEGINNING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT LIFE WILL BE LIKE AND AFTERMATH OF THIS LOSS THAT THE NETWORK IN ITS ENTIRETY INCLUDING OTHER SURVIVOR LED CREATED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY LIKE YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, LIKE THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE THERE FOR THE REST OF AS LONG AS YOU NEED THEM. AND SO THE THE FUNDING WE'RE GIVING THAT GOES TO THOSE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES IN THE HEALTH CENTERS SO THAT THE HEALTH CENTERS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE AS THEY AS THEY BUILD FOR SERVICES. SO WE'RE TRYING TO PURCHASE MORE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THEM GOING FORWARD. SO THAT'S WHAT A FAMILY MEMBER FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY WOULD EXPERIENCE WHEN WORKING WITH US IN THE COMMUNITY.  SO ON THE COMMUNITY SIDE, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE RESPONSE TEAM IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM IS THERE SO RESPONSE TEAM ON THE DAY I WAS AT THE WORDS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM IN THE DAYS AFTER WORDS AND THEN ONGOING AS WE'RE TALKING NOW MONTHS AND THEN GOING IN A YEAR.  THAT CONTINUAL PRESENCE CONTINUING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE OF BOTH THE FAMILY AND THE RESIDENTS. THAT'S A LOT OF WORDS I THINK. SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS REASON WHY WE HAVE THE SUPPORT LINE 6174310125 IS DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ALL THAT THIS CALL RIGHT. AND IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT NUMBER DONALD OSGOOD IS THE LEADER OF THE TEAM. CALL HIM CALL ME . CALL ISAAC.  THEN WE'RE WORKING TO GET SUPPORT NEEDED RELATED TO THIS INCIDENT OF COMMUNITY GUN VIOLENCE. THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE THAT A CONSTITUENT A RESIDENT WOULD EXPERIENCE.  SO OH, ONE THING I WANT TO SAY AS I AS I WRAP UP AND CLOSE IS NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS,  WITHOUT THAT ALL THAT LONG LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT NONE OF IT HAPPENS. WE DIDN'T CREATE ANY OF THEM.  THEY THEY WERE EXISTENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WHAT WE'RE CONTRIBUTING AS DR. OJUKWU TO SAID IS SOME FUNDING TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK AND THEN ALL OF THAT COORDINATION AND NETWORKING THAT HAPPENS TO TRY TO PULL US ALL TOGETHER. SO A HUGE APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN THE NETWORK AND WITH THAT REALLY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.  TURN TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. SHE HAS A COUPLE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU SCOTT. SO AGAIN, ISAAC EVANS, SENIOR ADVISOR FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY TO MAYOR WU. MY CENTRAL ROLE AND KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NETWORK THE MAYOR NEEDS TO BE IN THE KNOW WHEN WHEN INCIDENTS OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE OCCUR.  AND SO I AM OFTENTIMES WHEN THERE IS A PHONE NOTES CALL OUT WHETHER IT'S PENETRATING TRAUMA ABOVE THE WAIST I AM ON SCENE WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HEALING IN RESPONSE TO NETWORK . MY ROLE IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. I AM NOT TRAINED IN PFA AND I'M NOT THERE TO PROVIDE PFA. I AM OBVIOUSLY THERE TO SUPPORT ANY CONSTITUENT THAT'S IN NEED OF SUPPORT. BUT MY CENTRAL ROLE IS TO FACILITATE THE INFORMATION FROM THE PROVIDERS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THEN FACILITATE WHAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY BACK TO THE PROVIDERS. I THINK WE HAVE THE PEACE INSTITUTE HERE MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE EQUALITY HERE THE WORK AND I STRESS WHAT REVEREND SCOTT SAID THE WORK THAT THE PROVIDERS DO EXTERNAL TO THE CITY ARE INTEGRAL REAL TIME INFORMATION AS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO BE SHARED WITHOUT THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE EXTERNAL TO THE CITY. AND SO IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ACROSS THE NINE NETWORK TEAMS THE THE THE OTHER EXTERNAL PROVIDERS ARE MORE THAN INTEGRAL SO I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS MAY HAVE ABOUT MY ROLE AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR COLETTA HERE AS WELL TODAY AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PANELISTS.  I'LL FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPONSOR WHICH IS MYSELF TO BE WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS AND THEN I'LL TURN OVER THE FLOOR TO MY COLLEAGUES . SO VERY QUICKLY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK THIS NEW NAME THAT IS FOR IS THAT THE NEW NAME FOR THE ENTIRE NETWORK OR JUST FOR THE TRAUMA RESPONSE TEAM WITHIN THAT NETWORK? SO IT IS THE NEW NAME FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAMS NETWORK. IT IS THAT IS HOW WE ARE DEFINING IT AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CHANGE AS I MENTIONED BECAUSE IT REALLY IS TALKING ABOUT ASSETS AS OPPOSED TO YOU KNOW, DEFICITS. SO THAT'S WHERE THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO GO IN TO IN TERMS OF HEALING THE COMMUNITY WHEN AN EVENT OCCURS. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES BECAUSE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT YOU TALKED ABOUT MORE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC TEAMS GOING OUT THERE. SO CAN YOU JUST AGAIN BRIEFLY DESCRIBE JUST A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES OF HOW IT WAS TO WHAT IT IS NOW?  YOU WENT FROM CITYWIDE SERVICE TO NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM FOCUSED THAT THAT'S THE CRUX OF THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE. SO I'LL LET REVEREND SCOTT SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT. BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IT REALLY IS JUST ABOUT PHILOSOPHICAL CHANGE IN HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT HEALING AND RESILIENCE AND ASSETS AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT DEFICITS IN, YOU KNOW, THE CRIMINAL ASPECTS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. SO I THINK THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN TERMS OF HOW IT STRUCTURED THAT'S NOT CHANGED. IT'S STILL VERY NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUSED, VERY COMMUNITY ORIENTED AND AS REVEREND SCOTT SPOKE TO REALLY IS ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACTUALLY HELPING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. MARK YES.  BASICALLY I THAT CAPTURES THE WELL I MEAN THE STRUCTURE DOES NOT CHANGE WITH THAT NAME CHANGE. OKAY. SO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THIS IDEA THAT YOU HAVE TO BE EMBEDDED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE NOT SWOOPING IN TO SAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS RESOURCES THAT ARE RIGHT THERE THAT ARE EMBEDDED THAT WERE ALREADY THERE, THAT THEY NEED SUPPORT, MEET NETWORKING, NEED COORDINATE PORTION OF BUT THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'VE BEEN THERE AND THAT'S WHERE THE HEALING WILL COME.  AND SO THAT STRUCTURE IS IS JANE AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT PROMPTED THE CHANGE IS HEARING FROM THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS THAT THEY WERE PARTNERS. WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO LEAD WITH THE WORD TRAUMA BECAUSE THAT'S YOU'RE JUST SPEAKING RIGHT INTO THE WOUND YOU'RE TOUCHING. RIGHT. WE WANT TO LEAD WITH THE WORD HEALING.  WE'RE HEALTH CARE. SO SO IT'S A IT'S A NAME CHANGE THAT MORE CAPTURES OUR PHILOSOPHY IN THE FIRST PLACE AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO ALIGN MORE WITH THE PHILOSOPHY WE ALREADY HAD THE PRINCIPLES WE ALREADY HAD TO MAKE IT STRONGER AND THAT NAME COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK OR NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAM NETWORK IS THE WHOLE THING. YEAH. AND IN EACH OF THOSE PARTS YOU CAN THINK OF AS PILLARS THAT HOLD UP THE WHOLE THING.  THANK YOU. HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT TO SHOW UP? AND I KNOW I THINK I HEARD YOU JUST SAY ANY PENETRATION FROM THE WAIST UP IS SORT OF WHERE YOU'RE ON SCENE IS AT THE CENTER BECAUSE TRAUMA COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS AND SO WHAT WHAT ARE WE RESPONDING TO IN THESE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC INGRAIN IN THE COMMUNITY TEAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR FOR THIS NETWORK FOR THIS TEAM THAT WILL RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY GUN VIOLENCE IF WE IF IT IS A HOMICIDE OR WE ARE CONCERNED THAT IT'S A HOMICIDE AND THAT'S DETERMINED WHETHER WE GET THE NOTIFICATION WE KNOW BECAUSE THE BPD HAS TOLD US SO YEAH, TAKE ME THROUGH THAT TO JUST THE STEP BY STEP HOW YOU NOTIFIED AND WHAT WHAT WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT IMMEDIATE.  SO THE BPP IS A KEY PARTNER IN THIS. THIS MAY SOUND MINOR BUT IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HUGE IMPROVEMENTS IN HOW WE DO THIS FOR THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S THE BPD AND THEY SEND US PHYSICALLY IT'S IT'S AN EMAIL. RIGHT.  SO THEY SEND THE NOTIFICATION WE GET IT DIRECTLY OUR RESPOND ERS GET IT DIRECTLY. OF COURSE IS GETTING IT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN WE GET IT ONLY BECAUSE GETTING CLOSE AREN'T EVEN FAST ALREADY IS WALKIE TALKIES AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IT'S IT'S ALL WE KNOW ABOUT ALL OF THE GUN VIOLENCE NOT JUST WHAT WE OVERHEAR OR NOT JUST WHAT MAKES THE NEWS BUT ALL OF IT. AND SO THEN WE HAVE A SET OF CRITERIA THAT SAY WHAT WE BEGIN TO DO. SO IF IT IS A HOMICIDE OR A POSSIBLE HOMICIDE FOR NOTES IS KIND OF THE WORD YOU'LL HEAR US SAY. BUT THE POLICE ARE CONCERNED THIS PERSON'S INJURIES MAY BE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT THEY MIGHT DIE, YOU KNOW, AND SO ON. IT'S THAT THAT MEANS WE WANT TO SEND THAT RESPONSE TEAM TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THAT SAYING TO OUR PARTNERS IN THE HOSPITAL OF COURSE THEY'RE THERE KNOWING ABOUT THIS AS FAST AS EMS IS MOVING.  RIGHT. WE WANT TO HAVE OUR RESPONSE TEAM AT THE HOSPITAL.  RIGHT. SO SO THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD YOU WOULDN'T GO TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME.  YOU WOULD GO TO THE HOSPITAL. THE HOSPITAL TEAM GOES TO THE HOSPITAL. WE GO TO THE SCENE. GOTCHA. THANK YOU. AND AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING ALMOST DOESN'T MATTER IF IT COULD BE 9:00 AT NIGHT, IT COULD BE 1:00 IN A DAY, NOT 5:00 IN THE MORNING. WE'LL PROBABLY PICK IT UP AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING SOMETIMES. BUT ANYWAY, WE'RE SENDING AN EMAIL TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTNER SO AN EMAIL DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL.  BUT WHAT THAT EMAIL IS DOING I LIKE TO THINK IS IS CREATING A CONTAINER FOR THAT INCIDENT WITH THE RIGHT PARTNERS IN IT AND THEN THEY'RE BEGINNING TO SAY OKAY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE MOVING IN THE PLACE TO SUPPORT THIS INCIDENT? THIS FAMILY AND IF FOR EXAMPLE WE SEE IT'S A JUVENILE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY HERE THAT THEY'RE A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT. SO NOW WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO BEEPS.  WE HAVE WE ARE PARTNERS. THEY'RE NOT FORMALLY PART OF THE NETWORK BUT THEY'RE CLOSE PARTNERS. WE GET TO REACH OUT TO BEEPS AND THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SAY OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THIS SCHOOL.  AGAIN, PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF THE INDIVIDUAL OF THE SCHOOL AND DOING IT IN A CAROL AND BPF KNOWS THEIR SCHOOLS SO THEY KNOW THEIR STUDENTS. SO WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM ON THAT KIND OF AN ISSUE. THANK YOU.  FINAL QUICK POINT PASS ON MY FIRST BUDGET SO I'VE GOT TO READ THROUGH EVERYTHING YET HOW MUCH ARE WE FUNDING THE THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS OR SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT WE USE?  SO I HAVE THE TOTAL IT'S 2.65 MILLION FROM OUR CITY APPROPRIATION AND THEN WE HAVE GRANT FUNDING FROM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL 484,000 AND WE'LL CERTAINLY BE TALKING ABOUT THAT MORE IN OUR BUDGET HEARING TO GREAT.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO ISAAC AND TO DR. AJAOKUTA AND REVEREND SCOTT FOR BEING HERE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL ON THIS ISSUE. LISTEN CLOSELY TO ALL THREE OF THE PANELISTS AND REVEREND SCOTT, WHAT IS. CAN YOU CAN YOU GO OVER WHAT THE STEPS TO BE TAKEN MAY BE FOR A DISTRICT COUNCILOR IF A IF THERE'S GUN VIOLENCE AND IN HER OR HIS PARTICULAR DISTRICT ? CAN YOU GIVE US ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT THE RESPONSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE FOR A DISTRICT COUNCILOR WHEN A GUN WHEN THERE IS GUN VIOLENCE IN THAT DISTRICT AND WHAT ROLE SHOULD THEY BE TAKING? THEY WANT TO BE AS HELPFUL AS THEY CAN, I THINK. BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT ADDS CONFUSION OR ADDS UNCERTAINTY OR A MIXED MESSAGE EITHER BECAUSE I KNOW WE DID SPEAK ABOUT MIXED MESSAGES. SO WHAT ARE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?  REVEREND SCOTT YES.  SO ONE I THINK THERE IS GREAT RICH OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCILS, RIGHT?  THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNE CITY THE WAY I WOULD COME TO IT IS YOU KNOW YOUR YOU KNOW, YOUR DISTRICT YOU KNOW YOUR YOU KNOW YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE CALLING YOU THIS HURT US. WE'RE CONCERNED. WE'RE FRIGHTENED.  THEY MAY SAY WHAT'S THE CITY DOING?  I DESCRIBED ALL OF THAT BUT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY WALKING AROUND WITH POSTERS THAT SAY WE'RE FROM THE CITY RIGHT.  OUR PARTNERS, THEY'RE FUNDED BY US BUT THEY'RE NOT FROM THE CITY. THEY'RE OUR PARTNERS. SO THEY MIGHT SAY OH YEAH,  ISAAC HE WAS GREAT, RIGHT? BUT BUT IT WORKS WITH A MAYOR.  THEY DON'T THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY MAKING THAT CONNECTION AND SO YOU MAY HEAR IT IT MAY COME ACROSS AS A NEGATIVE COMPLAINT.  BUT WHAT IT REALLY IS IS WE HAVE A NEED. WE'RE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT. WE'RE LOOKING FOR HELP. YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, YOU KNOW WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE MEETING AND SO I THINK AS BEING IN THOSE MEETINGS AS RESPONDING TO THOSE INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENTS IS REALLY AT THE CORE OF WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO DO TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE RESIDENTS.  AND THIS IS ALSO AN EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA FOR YOU AS WELL AS FOR YOUR STAFF. AND SO I KNOW RECENTLY A ONE OF THE PROGRAMS IN THE DIVISION IS A CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING INITIATIVE AND THEY DO TRAUMA INFORMED TRAINING AROUND VARIOUS SUBJECT MATTERS AND SO THEY WERE HERE DOING THE TRAINING FOR STAFF AROUND HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THOSE CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS IN A TRAUMA INFORMED MANNER FOR THE CONSTITUENT AND FOR YOURSELF? AND SO I YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE FIRST THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO. WE I THINK IT GETS A YOUR QUESTION COUNCILOR OF WHAT'S OUR ROLE, WHAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, HOW TO AND OUR STAFF AND HOW DO WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S HELPFUL NOT A MIXED MESSAGE AND ALSO NOT HARMFUL TO US AS WE'RE DOING IT. SO I HOPE THAT IT IT WAS HELPFUL. THANK YOU REVEREND SCOTT AND THANK YOU FOR FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO TO WORK WITH ISAAC FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.  ISAAC ONE COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS JUST WANTED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT HIS YOU LOOKED AT THE CRIME STATS OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME AND YOU YOU OBVIOUSLY NOTICED LIKE I NOTICED THE CRIME STATS ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMERTIME AND WHERE SERVICES ARE NEEDED AND YOU DETERMINED THAT THE SERVICES WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE MARY ELLEN MCCORMACK IN SOUTH BOSTON THE PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.  SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND YOU KNOW, BEFORE BEFORE THE SUMMER IN TRYING TO IDENTIFY HOW WE CAN WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, YOUNG PEOPLE,  RESIDENTS OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO ENGAGE THEM ON POSITIVE SERVICES, POSITIVE PROGRAMS. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU TAKING THE INITIATIVE AND LISTENING TO RESIDENTS, LISTENING TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN A IN A IN A POSITIVE MANNER. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. THANK YOU.  AND FINALLY I JUST WANT TO ASK DR. OJUKWU TOO WHO I HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH FOR MANY YEARS AND THANK YOU DOCTOR FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.  I KNOW THIS ISSUE WELL BUT ALMOST FROM A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO HAVE TO I KNOW THE TRAUMA MILITARY FAMILIES GO THROUGH AND VETERANS GO THROUGH BEING EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE IN CERTAIN SETTINGS ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY OVERSEAS IN A WAR. BUT HOW IMPORTANT IS IT, DOCTOR, FOR FAMILIES OF OF OF VICTIMS IMPACTED BY VIOLENCE ? HOW IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THEIR KIDS OR THEIR OTHER BROTHER OR SISTER OR THEIR MOTHER? HOW IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THEIR FAMILY TO ENGAGE IN COUNSELING, ENGAGING IN SUPPORT SERVICES SO THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS THAT ONGOING TRAUMA AND AND STILL BE PRODUCTIVE PARENT, BE A PRODUCTIVE BROTHER, BE A PRODUCTIVE PERSON?  SO THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING UP THAT IMPORTANT ISSUE.  IN MY INITIAL COMMENTS I TALKED ABOUT EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE AND THAT EXPOSURE MAY NOT BE FIRSTHAND, IT MAY BE SECONDHAND, IT MAY BE INTERGENERATIONAL, IT MAY BE FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES AND IT MAY JUST BE IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT VIOLENCE. ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN STUDIED ACTUALLY TO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT IN HOW WE PROCESS HOW WE ENGAGE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES CAUSING STRESS, CAUSING ANXIETY, CAUSING YOU KNOW, SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. YOU KNOW THAT EXPOSURE IN AND OF ITSELF EVEN IF IT'S NOT YOU, EVEN IF IT'S NOT OF YOUR FAMILY SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE RESOURCES SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAN SHARE, CAN TALK CAN YOU KNOW, WORK WITH BEHAVIORAL THERAPISTS ON THESE ISSUES. A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR CENTER FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS IS LOOKING AT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF RESOURCES IN THAT AND SPECIFICALLY A LOT OF THOSE RESOURCES WILL BE GOING TO BE APPS AND A LOT OF THE KIDS AND THE CAREGIVERS AND THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF MEMBERS THEY'VE ALL BEEN EXPOSED EITHER FIRSTHAND OR SECONDHAND TO TO VIOLENCE AND I THINK IN MULTIPLE FORMS OF VIOLENCE I KNOW WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE BUT CERTAINLY MULTIPLE FORMS OF VIOLENCE.  SO THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE HERE TO HIGHLIGHT IT AND AMPLIFY IT . IF I COULD JUST GO BACK TO YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION THOUGH, JUST ABOUT WHAT CITY COUNCILORS CAN DO AND OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL ARE DOING A LOT WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE I THINK JUST NAMING AND TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING HERE THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IN ALL OTHER CITIES. YOU KNOW THIS IDEA OF FOCUSING IN ON HEALING AND THINKING TO OURSELVES WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO BOLSTER AND SUPPORT PEOPLE AND AGAIN, NOT JUST THE PERSON, NOT JUST THE VICTIM OR THE VICTIM'S FAMILY BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS KNOWING IN THIS LIST OF PARTNERS WHO ARE THE ONES THAT YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH, WHO ARE THE ONES AT WORK IN YOUR DISTRICTS AND BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I THINK RAISING AWARENESS IS A HUGE PART OF THE WORK THAT I THINK YOU ALREADY DO BUT JUST CONTINUING TO DO THAT ESPECIALLY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS CHANGE FROM TRAUMA TO HEALING AS AS REVEREND SCOTT MENTIONED, I THINK THAT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ROLE. THANK YOU DR. TO CALL TO THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . COUNCILOR MURPHY THANK YOU FOR FILING THIS HEARING AND HOLDING THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE IN YOUR PRESENTATION.  A FEW QUESTIONS. I KNOW YOU HAD JUST MENTIONED, DR. OJUKWU THAT THIS IS FOCUSING ON GUN VIOLENCE BUT WE ALSO CAN HAVE A DROWNING OF FIRE. THE OTHER THINGS HAPPEN THAT CAUSE TRAUMA BUT YOU KNOW IF WE HAVE A SHOOTING IN A PARK OR YOU KNOW A FIRE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY BUT IT WILL ALSO AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE OR ON THE STREET IN THE COMMUNITY OR IF THEY'RE SCHOOL AGE IT AFFECTS YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.  I KNOW MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS DEAL WITH THAT WHERE MANY OF THEIR MEMBERS IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE AFTER EFFECTS. SO HOW FAR DO WE THROW THAT NET OF SUPPORT WHICH IS MY FIRST QUESTION AND THEN ALSO YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT QUANTITATIVE REALLY LIKE HOW WELL WE'RE DOING LIKE WHAT MEASURES DO WE USE? IT'S HARD TO SEE. I KNOW AS A MOM AND AS A TEACHER WHO IS OFTEN THE QUIET ONES THAT YOU WORRIED THE MOST ABOUT THAT MAYBE WERE WORRYING OR STRESS HEAD TRAUMA AND THEY WERE SILENT AND THE ONES WHO MAY BE ACTING OUT OFTENTIMES WOULD GET THE ATTENTION FIRST WHICH WAS GREAT. BUT YOU HAVE TO ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT MISSING THOSE WHO ARE ALSO SUFFERING AND I MEAN IT WAS SAID BUT IT COULD BE WEEKS, MONTHS, DAYS. BUT EVEN YEARS ESPECIALLY IF IT'S UNTREATED. SO LIKE HOW LONG AFTER ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE FUNDING FOR IT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KIND OF CONNECTING IT TO THAT EVENT AND MAKING SURE IF THERE IS SUPPORTS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE STILL OFFERING EVEN IF A FAMILY MAY COME LATER ASKING FOR HELP . AND THEN JUST LASTLY JUST A SHOUT OUT I WAS AT A COFFEE WITH THE COMPANY'S BOSTON A FEW DAYS AGO AND I MET ONE OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO WAS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE POLICE AND THEY WERE BOTH JUST RAVING AND TELLING ME HOW WONDERFUL IT'S GOING AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY WERE LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER. BUT THAT SUPPORT WAS JUST GREAT FOR THE CALLS THEY WERE MAKING. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT THAT OUT. BUT IF YOU HAD ANY ANSWERS ON THE QUESTIONS I'D ASK SO COUNCILOR MURPHY, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOU. I THINK EVERYONE AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND THE CITY IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE MULTIPLE FORMS OF VIOLENCE THAT MANY IF NOT ALL OF US EXPERIENCE IN THE TRAUMA AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IS, YOU KNOW, A TOP PRIORITY OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND DOING DIFFERENTLY.  I THINK AS YOU RIGHTLY STATED, THERE'S A LIMIT IN REGARDS TO FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO BEING ACTIVE IN AS ACTIVE AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE IN EVERY AREA. BUT WE SHOULD THINK MORE CREATIVELY ABOUT MORE THAT WE CAN DO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AND I'LL LET REVEREND SCOTT SPEAK TO IT A LITTLE BIT IS REALLY THINKING ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND WE'RE ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE FOR DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. SO I THINK THAT TO ME IS A WONDERFUL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MORE BROADLY ABOUT HOW WE MANAGE ADDRESS,  EVALUATE, COLLECT DATA ON AND UNDERSTAND THESE MULTIPLE FORMS OF VIOLENCE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT AND DO DIFFERENTLY IN THAT'S A DIFFERENT APPROACH, A DIFFERENT RESPONSE. SO I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN HAD ADVOCATED AND I SUPPORTED TO HAVE A STANDALONE YES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THE RESPONSE IS DIFFERENT. THE VICTIMS NEED DIFFERENT SUPPORTS AND COME FORWARD DIFFERENTLY. ABSOLUTELY. MARC, DO YOU WANT TO PREFACE THIS?  SO I MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN THE DIVISION OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. ONE OF THEM IS THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER WHICH IT'S A LITTLE AND WE DON'T WE ARE THE OVERSEAS BODY ON THAT. THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS SET UP.  BUT IT REALLY IS SUCH A COLLABORATION THAT THAT WE'RE REALLY A PART OF IT AND SO THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER HAS A LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MET THIS WEEK, HAS A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING BPD DETECTIVE BPD DETECTIVES WHO ARE INVESTIGATING THOSE THESE TYPES OF CRIMES. SO THEY'RE ALL THERE TOGETHER AND FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WE REALLY NEEDED AN OFFICE THAT ELEVATED THE CONCERN AROUND DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND MADE IT MORE VISIBLE THAT REALLY HAD US TACKLE THE ISSUE OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE DATA THE NARRATIVE THE STORY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. SO IT IS A A VIBE OF THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERSECTS VERY MUCH WITH COMMUNITY VIOLENCE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DEEP WE TEND TO CO-OCCURRING PSYCHOSOCIAL AND SO WE TOOK RESOURCES THAT WE HAD THAT WERE REALLY ALL BEING IMMERSED INTO THE FAMILY JUSTICE AND WE STAY ON THE COUNCIL . WE'RE PART OF IT. WE'RE DEEPLY ENGAGED BUT WE'RE ALSO NOW ABLE TO CREATE THIS NEW OFFICE TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS AROUND ELEVATING THIS AND UNDERSTANDING IT AND SPEAKING FOR IT ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY. SO WHAT WE GOT TO GET DONE IS WE HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO RUN THE OFFICE AND SO WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO GET A REALLY TREMENDOUS RESPONSE FROM POTENTIAL CANDIDATES AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE I THINK TO BEING ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THAT. AND REALLY I WOULD I'D POLICY ENGAGING THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE WORK ALREADY DONE AND TALKED ABOUT IS YOU KNOW IN THE FIRST HUNDRED DAYS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HOW COULD YOU LET US KNOW WHEN YOU HIRE SOMEONE IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THEM IN TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEIR WORK. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR THANK YOU, CHAIR AND JUST A QUICK QUESTION. IT WAS A MAIDEN SPEECH.  THIS WAS CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST HEARING AND YOUR MAIDEN SPEECH AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOU BEING YOU I GUESS I DON'T KNOW. SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO AND YOU CHAMPIONSHIP NO BUT AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. I HAVE SUCH A DEEP ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR ALL OF YOU BECAUSE THIS WORK IS SO HEAVY AND YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF THE HEARTS, MINDS AND SOULS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE MOST TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS OF THEIR LIVES. AND SO I JUST WANT TO AND THIS GOES FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AND THAT WORKS ON THIS I HOPE YOU ALL ARE TAKING CARE OF YOUR OWN IN YOUR OWN WAY, TAKING CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS.  I'M JUST I'M I'M LEARNING MORE IN THIS SPACE AND IN YOUR PRESENTATION WAS VERY INFORMATIVE THANK YOU. EAST BOSTON IS VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE ITS TEAM AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE TEAM THERE IF THEY'RE LISTENING IN CHARLESTOWN HAS ALWAYS BEEN FIERCELY INDEPENDENT AND SELF-SERVING AND THAT JUST SPEAKS TO THEIR SPIRIT AS AS A PEOPLE AND AS A COMMUNITY.  AND SO IT IS A COMMUNITY IN RECOVERY . IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT HAS SEEN VIOLENCE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES RECENTLY JUST LAST YEAR IN THE YEAR BEFORE DR. YOVEL, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BUT THE BUNKER HILL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HAS SEEN AN INCREASED AND SOME GUN RELATED ACTIVITY BUT EAST BOSTON AS WELL TO IN THE EAGLE HILL NEIGHBORHOOD SO MY ONLY QUESTION IS JUST ASK WHAT IS THE LANDSCAPE LOOK IN MY DISTRICT RIGHT NOW WHICH IS EAST CHARLESTOWN IN THE NORTH AND I WOULD IT WAS GOOD TO KNOW WHAT THE REACTIVE AND PROACTIVE MEASURES ARE BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING IN MY COMMUNITY TO OR MY DISTRICT TO TRY TO PREVENT SOME OF THIS?  I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME PROACTIVE EFFORTS TAKING PLACE IN YOUR CARE OF DR. DIABLO SO I WAS JUST HOPING IF YOU COULD EXPAND ON THAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, SURE. SO AS DR. OJUKWU AND REVEREND SCOTT HAVE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THERE ARE BUT BOSTON IS THE SAFEST MAJOR CITY IN THE COUNTRY OBJECTIVELY SIMILAR TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES WE HAVE POCKETS OF INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE DOES OCCUR. THE BUNKER HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN CHARLESTOWN BEING ONE OF THOSE AREAS EAGLE HILL AND SPECIFIC INTERSECTIONS WITHIN EAGLE HILL OR WHETHER IT'S THE SHAW PLAZA HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THOSE ARE LIKE MICRO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE.  WHAT WE'RE DOING I THINK ON THE PREVENTION SIDE IS AS WE GO INTO THE SUMMER ESPECIALLY I HAVE A A GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, A SUMMER ACTIVATION MINI GRANT. SO WE'RE BEING VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT ALLOCATING FUNDS TO THESE MICRO LOCATIONS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE. SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE PREVENTION LEANING INTO THE INTERVENTION. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE INTERVENTION RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE MAKING SURE THAT THE POPULATION THAT RESIDE THAT ARE THE MOST AT PROMISE POPULATIONS BUT THEN THESE MICRO LOCATIONS ARE BEING PRIORITIZED FOR SERVICES NOT JUST KIND OF SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO JOE CITIZEN BUT SERVICES THAT ARE CULTURALLY COMPETENT AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE RELEVANT WITHIN THE REALM OF WHAT THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY HEAL AND THAT'S ANCHORED BY WHETHER IT'S THE Y IOU. BOSTON TEAM COUNCILOR MURPHY ALLUDED TO THE YOUTH CONNECT PROGRAM EARLIER THAT DOES AMAZING WORK ACROSS THE CITY ROIS TEAM WITHIN THE HEALTH COMMISSION ASKED US WHY I TEAM THE MAGI INITIATIVE.  THESE ARE ALL DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THE GROUND. SO I THINK IT'S A TWO PRONGED APPROACH OF WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RESIDING IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND THEN TAKING A COMMUNITY LEVEL APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITY LEVEL INTERVENTIONS THAT YOU CAN SET IN PLACE THAT WILL HELP TO REDUCE THE VIOLENCE AND WE'RE BEING VERY STRATEGIC.  WE ACTUALLY HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK WE HAD A MEETING IN DC THEN LAST WEEK WE ACTUALLY BOTH EAST AND CHARLESTOWN WE WE WERE THERE LAST WEEK JUST PLANNING RIGHT AND THAT'S A SUCH A PART OF IT AS WELL SO AND I DO APPRECIATE I DO APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR HOLISTIC PREVENTATIVE APPROACH AND SOME OF THESE AS YOU AS YOU NAME THE MICRO LOCATIONS THAT OFTEN GET OVERLOOKED BUT THERE ARE KIDS YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE AT RISK AND I IN EAGLE HILL AND SO I SEE IT AND THESE ARE THESE ARE GOOD KIDS, GOOD YOUNG ADULTS. THEY JUST NEED TO BE PUT ON ON THE RIGHT PATH.  AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS AND TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE ALREADY LAID THE GROUNDWORK AND HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPING THESE RELATIONSHIPS. SO I KNOW NO FURTHER QUESTIONS JUST JUST GRATITUDE AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR ALL THOSE HERE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR CLETA AND AGAIN TOO FOR THE PANEL TO UNDERSTAND AS WE WRAP UP HERE.  YEAH, I BROUGHT THIS FORTH DUE TO THE INTENT THAT AT MEETINGHOUSE HILL ON NEW YEAR'S RIGHT AND TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY AFTERWARDS IT WAS A MURDER ON HIGH STREET THE FIRST ONE OF 2024 AND YEAH WHEN I MET WITH THEM AFTER THE FACT THEY SORT OF SAID WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T FEEL THE LOVE ESSENTIALLY. RIGHT. AND SO I APPRECIATE NOW A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OF HOW YOU GUYS RESPOND WHAT TO DO. I'M GLAD WE'RE THE SAFEST MAJOR CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT THAT ALSO SHOULD MEAN THAT WE HAVE MORE TRAUMA TO WE CAN SPREAD THE WEALTH OF IS TRAUMATIZED AND HOW AND I WOULD SUPPORT A SEPARATE OFFICE FOR DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRAUMA AND SO WHATEVER I CAN DO IN THAT FIELD TO HELP AS WELL BUT IT WOULD STILL BE GREAT I JUST IMAGINE I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF OKAY IF IF WE'VE GOT NOW THIS SORT OF SPACE OF THE BANDWIDTH BEING THE SAFER CITY AMERICA TO TO REALLY FOCUS ON IT, WE SHOULD HAVE A ROADMAP OF OF WHAT OCCURS THAT WHEN WE COME TO THESE SCENES AND WE CAN HAND THE PERSON SO THAT THEY CAN CLEARLY SEE BECAUSE EVEN HEARING IT FROM YOU GUYS SOMETIMES RIGHT YOU GO OKAY, WAIT I FOLLOWED IT UP TO STEP FOUR AND THEN I GOT WAY RIGHT AND THAT AND I'M SURE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FAMILIES GIVEN THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE TRAUMA THEMSELVES. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE JUST A ROADMAP OR A HANDOUT THAT YOU GUYS I'M SURE THERE'S SOME SORT OF HANDOUTS THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT . AND I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TO SEE THAT AT SOME POINT.  BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY THANK YOU FOR YOU DO AND I APPRECIATE THE PHILOSOPHICAL CHANGE AND I JUST HOPE THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE IS STILL THE CORRECT STRUCTURE THAT WE CAN RESPOND MOST APPROPRIATELY TO NOT JUST THE GUN VIOLENCE BUT BUT ALL VIOLENCE. RIGHT. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I INVITE YOU GUYS TO STAY BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM SOME OF THE THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS NOW AND IN FULL DISCLOSURE.  WE KNOW THERE'S NOT IN EVERYTHING THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN OR ONE SIDE NOT FEELING COMPENSATED OR SUPPORTED ENOUGH. AND SO I'D LOVE YOU ALL AND TO INVITE TO JUST STAY TO HEAR FROM THE SECOND PANEL AS WELL BECAUSE IF WE SMOOTH THOSE BUMS OUT I THINK WE'VE GOT THE BEST TRAUMA TEAM IN THE COUNTRY AND WE'VE BEEN LED TO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE IT ALREADY, LET'S CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO BE EVEN BETTER RIGHT.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING. I APPRECIATE IT.  WELL, THE FIRST PANEL IS EXITING. I'D LIKE TO NOW CALL THE THE SECOND PANEL UP TO THE BOARD FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE SECOND PANEL. I BELIEVE THAT IS I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS I DON'T KNOW IF CLEMENTINE IS HERE BUT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM LUCY BROWN. YOU GUYS PLEASE COME ON UP MARCUS LEWIS AND MONA LISA SMITH FROM BOARD STREET HEALTH CENTER AND MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE EQUALITY. IF YOU ARE HERE, PLEASE PLEASE TAKE A SEAT.  JUST JUST TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT. BEFORE WE GET TO THE QUESTIONS FOR MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU ALL COULD JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOUR ROLE AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL GET INTO QUESTIONS AND WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.  SO WHO WOULD LIKE TO START UP TO YOU GUYS? I WILL. I WILL GO FIRST. AND SO MY NAME IS MONA LISA SMITH AND I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AT MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY WAS STARTED IN 2010 BY MOTHERS WHO LOST CHILDREN TO SENSELESS VIOLENCE AND THE REASON FOR STARTING MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE WAS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO HUMANIZE OUR CHILDREN AND STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF OF SAVING THEIR LIVES AND AND JUST BRING DIGNITY TO THE THE WHOLE PROCESS OF OF LOSING A CHILD TO SENSELESS VIOLENCE. AND I'M HONORED TO BE SITTING HERE WITH WITH THE PEACE INSTITUTE TODAY WHO IS YOU KNOW, OUR SISTER ORGANIZATION. BUT AS WE ARE DOING WORK AND VERY PROUD TO STAY IN THE SAME SPACE WITH WITH THE BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA CENTER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT RECENTLY WAS HOW THE HOW WE HAVE TWO EXPERIENCES IN ONE CITY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WHEN I SAY TWO EXPERIENCES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT HOW THE WEATHER IS STARTING TO GET AND IN ONE PART OF BOSTON WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ENJOYING THE THE COMING OF THE WARM SEASON AND AND REALLY EXPERIENCING THE BEAUTY OF THE DAFFODILS AND THE FLOWERS AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS AND ON ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT ANXIETY'S STARTS TO WELLED UP WHEN THE WEATHER STARTS TO GET WARM BECAUSE OF THE ANTICIPATION OF AN INCREASE IN VIOLENCE. AND SO ALTHOUGH WE BOTH HAVE BEAUTIFUL SCENERIES AROUND US BUT THE EXPERIENCE IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE VIOLENCE HAS LEFT US WITH TWO DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.  SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE NECESSITY OF HAVING THE THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA TEAM, THE COMMUNITY HEALING SPACE, IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE VIOLENCE HAS LEFT THIS TRAUMA, THIS ANXIETY, THIS THIS PAIN THAT DOESN'T AS QUICKLY AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO HEAL. SO I WANTED TO I WANTED TO REALLY COME BY TODAY AND JUST TO SHARE THE WORK THAT MOTHERS OF JUSTICE IS DOING AND JUST THAT EXPERIENCE THAT THAT WE WHO HAVE LOST CHILDREN TO VIOLENCE IN ARETHA'S HERE AND SHE CAN ATTEST TO THAT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HER TO COME BECAUSE SHE LOST HER SON AND MANY OF THESE MURDERS ARE UNSOLVED RIGHT.  THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY CONCLUSION. SO THAT'S THE HEALING PROCESS.  SO IT'S NOT JUST THE ON GOING VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH BUT IT'S ALSO THE AFTERMATH OF THAT VIOLENCE. SO SO THAT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AND I HOPE THAT THAT THAT HAS MEANING IN THIS MOMENT.  SO IF I COULD HAVE ARETHA SHARE LITTLE THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S APPROPRIATE . GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ARETHA MOJI AND I LOST MY SON IN 2008 ON NEW YEAR'S EVE ON THE EMPTY BUS.  WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME ABOUT THE HEALING PROCESS AND THE ACT OF FACT WHEN I LOST MY SON I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TYPE OF RESOURCES AT WORK. I HAD A DECENT JOB AND I LOST MY JOB AND I LOST A JOB BECAUSE OF THE THINKING AND NO HEALING AFTER THE FACT. I WASN'T ABLE TO FUNCTION AT WORK AND AT THAT TIME THAT JOB DIDN'T HAVE THE TYPE OF HEALING RESOURCES THAT A MOTHER LIKE ME NEEDED TO LOSE HER ONLY SON. ALTHOUGH MY SON DID NOT DIED OF GUN VIOLENCE IT WAS A STABBING AND TO ME THAT'S EVEN MORE PERSONAL BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET UP AND CLOSE TO SOMEBODY TO ACTUALLY DO IT WHEREAS A GUN YOU COULD BE FROM A FAR DISTANCE SO WHEN IT COMES TO A STAB WOUND I TOOK THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSONAL THAN GUN VIOLENCE. YOU HEAR ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE BUT IT'S WE HAVE EVOLVED AND IT'S JUST GUN VIOLENCE IS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE ANY WEAPON NOW THAT COULD YOU KNOW, TAKE AWAY YOUR YOU KNOW, CHILD INCLUDING PILLS. SO THERE'S MANY, MANY DIFFERENT PLATFORMS THAT OCCURRED. IT'S NOT JUST GUN WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WORKING WITH THE ENTITY I DID START IN THE VERY BEGINNING. IT WAS NICE TO HAVE A MOTHER THAT LOST OUT THERE TO HELP SO I WAS ABLE TO SHOW AND SEE AND TALK TO FAMILIES THAT WAS GOING THROUGH. I WAS ABLE TO HELP WITH THESE HEALING MECHANISMS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT NEEDED TO TO GET ON WITH LIFE AFTER SO JOINING MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY AFTER BEING A CLIENT I DECIDED TO STAY BECAUSE MY JOB THAT I WAS WORKING AT THEY FIRED ME FOR BEING NONSOCIAL IF I WASN'T GETTING THE PROPER THERAPY WHICH AT THAT TIME WE STILL DON'T HAVE WE HAVE A LOT MORE TRAUMA THERAPISTS NOW BUT NOT ENOUGH NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WAITING ON A WAITING LIST AND SOMETIMES THAT IS WHAT CAUSES MORE VIOLENCE BECAUSE THEY'RE SITTING THERE, THEY'RE STILL WAITING. IT'S DOING THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE TRAUMA. THIS PROGRAM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME . THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE AND I'M NOT JUST HERE JUST FOR A JOB. THIS IS MY LIFE BECAUSE I AM STILL HEALING MY SON'S CASE HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED EITHER SO HAVING THIS PROGRAM HELPS, HAVING THE RESOURCES, HAVING THE HEALING CIRCLES AND EVEN HAVING A TRAINING WITH ME TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AS WELL BECAUSE I'M ALSO PART OF THE BOSTON TRAUMA RESPONSE COHORT . SO I DO HE'D BE THERE SCENE ABLE TO TALK TO FAMILIES AND HELP THEM GET THROUGH THE SITUATION AND EVEN WE EVEN TAKE A STEP FURTHER AND TALK TO THE EMT WHEN THEY GRADUATE.  I THINK THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EXPECTING HOW THE FAMILY COULD BE OR SOMETIMES THEY MAY LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING DISRESPECTFUL WHEN IT REALLY IS IT IS JUST THAT THE FAMILY DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THE TRAUMA. SO SPEAKING WITH THEM AND TELLING THEM THIS AHEAD OF TIME ,I THINK IT HELPS THEIR JOBS AND I'VE ALSO HAD MANY EMS PEOPLE THANK ME AFTER THAT AND ALSO I MET THE PERSON THAT TOOK CARE OF MY SON.  SHE SPOKE TO HIM ALL THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO I WAS ABLE TO THANK HER IN PERSON. THANK YOU AND I AM SO GLAD ARETHA BROUGHT UP THAT PART ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT PIECE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW. A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING JOBS IS BECAUSE OF A LOT OF THE AFTERMATH THAT'S LEFT BEHIND THE MENTAL HEALTH, THE UNDIAGNOSED MENTAL HEALTH AND THE HOMELESSNESS AS WELL. SO YOU KNOW, OUR WORK AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH US BE BECAUSE OUR WORK HAS REALLY SHIFTED TO TO ADDRESSING THIS THIS WHOLE THING WITH HEALING THROUGH ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND HELPING INDIVIDUALS TO GET A JOB AND KEEP THAT JOB AND DOING THAT REAL PRE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY LIKE A SHIFT IN AND HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THE WORK AND AND HAVING THE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND THIS HEALING TRAUMA TEAM IS SO IN POUR IN AND HELPING RESIDENTS MOVE FORWARD AND I KNOW YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE SEEN THAT ARTICLE THAT THE GLOBE HAD PUT OUT AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS WITHIN A 2.5 MILE RADIUS CHANGES BY 23 YEARS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL LIVING IN THE BACK BAY SECTION OF OF BOSTON LIVES IN THEIR NINETIES AND THE PERSON LIVING IN THE ROXBURY SECTION LIVES TO 69 SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT LIKE OUR WORK AND WHAT WE'RE DOING HOW WE RESPOND TO TRAUMA IT'S IT'S MORTALITY RIGHT SO NOT ONLY ARE WE LOSING PEOPLE YOU KNOW TO THIS THIS SENSELESS GUN VIOLENCE BUT WE'RE LOSING THEM TO THE STRESSES THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND IN THE AFTERMATH. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT BECAUSE AS I WAS LISTENING TO ARETHA AND WE THINK ABOUT VIOLENCE, WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE REACTION TO IT BUT WE DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT LIKE THIS WHOLE THING WITH WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT, WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH HOUSING, WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES IT'S STEMMING FROM THAT VIOLENCE THAT HAPPEN TO THAT INDIVIDUAL AND AND THE WORK THAT THE LEWIS BROWN PIECE MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT THAT I CAN I COULD NAME THAT OUR WORK IS SHIFTING AND IT'S REALLY SHIFTING SO THAT WE ARE STARTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT EMPLOYER PARTNERS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING INDIVIDUAL ROLES WHO ARE REENTERING INTO COMMUNITY. SO HAVING YOUR SUPPORT AND THE SUPPORT OF SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION IS JUST IT'S ESSENTIAL AND AND I DO BELIEVE THAT COLLECTIVELY I THINK WE CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. AND THEN BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I JUST ANITA WAS THAT ARETHA ARETHA, ARETHA.  SO SORRY TO HEAR THE LOSS OF YOUR SON AS A PARENT MYSELF I I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD DO WHAT YOU WERE DOING RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. AND SO ALL MY MY POWER TO YOU AND YOUR CONTINUING HEALING JOURNEY AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. AND I KNOW WE HAVE MARCUS IS ON ZOOM BUT YOU WILL GO YOU'LL GO NEXT RIGHT WHAT YOUR CALL TO MARCUS YOU'RE ON JOVI YOU'RE YOU ARE UP THANK YOU SO MORNING THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME MY NAME IS A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ME AS BROTHER MARCUS LOUIS I AM A CARIBBEAN DESCENT FROM TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.  I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BOSTON FOR OVER 30 YEARS. I STARTED WORK WITH THE BALTIMORE STREET HEALTH CENTER IN 2015 AS A VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PREVENTION OF SOME PEOPLE KNOW IT AS VIP, I WAS A COORDINATOR FOR A PROGRAM OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, THE BOSTON STREET HEALTH CENTER IS A DEPARTMENT OF THE BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER. IT HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE PARTNER WITH THE DORCHESTER COMMUNITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS REFERRING CLEAR TO INFANTS, TEENS AND ADULTS AND SENIORS RECOGNIZING HOW SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN ALSO INFLUENCE THE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR HEALTH STATUS.  BOWDOIN STREET HEALTH CENTER ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC ENTITIES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO HEALTH AFFORDABLE FOODS,  PROMOTE WELLNESS, DO EXERCISE STRESS REDUCTION AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. DURING MY SEVEN YEARS IN THE VIP ROLE I PROVIDED SERVICES TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS HIGH RISK YOUTH AND IDENTIFY BY THE HEALTH CENTER REFERRALS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND ALSO FOR MY OWN OUTREACH EFFORTS NOW AS A COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE NETWORK COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER I SUPPORT FAMILIES IMPACTED BY COMMUNITY VIOLENCE WITH RESOURCES TO BE CONNECTED BY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE LOUIS D BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE. WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.  I ALSO REFER FAMILIES INTERNALLY TO THE CENTER FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY IS A PROGRAM OF THE BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS CENTER. IN ADDITION TO ADMINISTRATING COMMUNITY FIRST AID TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS.  AS A HEALTH CENTER WE CAN FOCUS ON THE HEALING JOURNEY WITH THE SURVIVORS WHO ARE IMPACTED AND THE RESIDENTS BY OFFERING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FITNESS GROUP COOKING CLASSES, PROGRAMS. WE EVEN HAVE A COMMUNITY GARDEN ON A LOT OF NORTON STREET AS STONE HURTS. WE HAVE WORKING GROUPS, WE HAVE HEALING CIRCLES.  THESE RESOURCES ARE NOT JUST FOR OUR PATIENTS BUT IS FREE TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE BOND STREET HEALTH CENTER HAS A TEAM OF COMMITTED HEALTH WORKERS WHO SUPPORT RESIDENTS WHO ARE UNHOUSED HAVE FOOD INSECURITY, NEED HEALTH INSURANCE WITH ALL OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH WHILE WE HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES THESE THERE IS SO MUCH MORE FAMILY NEEDS ESPECIALLY IN A TIME OF VIOLENCE SUCH AS BEING RELOCATED, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SUPPORT, RE CHANGING SCHOOLS, EVEN ORGANIZING THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR LOVED ONES. THE COMMUNITY HEALING RESPONSE TEAM IS THERE TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE HOWEVER.  SURVIVORS ARE OFTEN IN A DEEP STATE OF AND THE LOSS OF THEIR LOVED ONES. IT CAN BE CHALLENGE TO ENGAGE THEM WITHOUT THE PROPER SUPPORT OF A COMMON HOME CONNECTION TO REFER THEM WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE RIGHT DISTRESS AT THAT TIME WE ARE THANKFUL TO OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HELP US ABLE REACH THESE FAMILIES IN THEIR TIME OF NEED AND NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE IS ENDLESS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR SURVIVORS DEFINITELY IN IMMEDIATE TIME SO TO EXPAND THAT HELP AND SUPPORT IS EXTREMELY NEEDED. WE NEED TO FIND AND BUILD THE CAPACITY TO HIRE MORE STAFF TO SUPPORT THE INFLUX SO REFERRALS WE GET. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION SUCH FAST SERVICES FOR LOOKING INTO THE WAYS TO THE WORK AND THE FAMILIES THAT WE HELP. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY THE BODY STREET HEALTH CENTER IN THE COMMUNITY HEALING SPORTS NETWORK NETWORK WITH MORE FUNDING AND SERVICES. THESE ARE WONDERFUL PROGRAMS AND HAVE GREAT RESOURCES THAT CAN REACH EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE HEALING TRAUMA CAUSED BY THE INCIDENTS.  IT'S A MUST AND I THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY AND SHARE. THANK YOU MARCUS.  RACHEL THANK YOU FOR WAITING PATIENTLY.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR FLYNN AND MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH.  THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY THIS MORNING. MY NAME IS REECE RODRIGUEZ. I AM THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE LEWIS BROWN PEACE INSTITUTE. PEACE INSTITUTE IS A BOSTON BASED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY MURDER, TRAUMA, GRIEF AND LOSS AND FOSTERING PEACE WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY BEGINNING IN 1996, THE CITY OF BOSTON, THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT CITY HOSPITALS AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BEGAN REFERRING SURVIVORS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS TO THE PEACE INSTITUTE FOR SUPPORT IN THE AFTERMATH OF A HOMICIDE. WHILE THE PEACE INSTITUTE QUICKLY BECAME THE HOLDER OF FAMILIES IN THEIR LOSS, THE PEACE INSTITUTE PROCEEDED TO ALSO ORGANIZE AND MOBILIZE A NETWORK OF PROVIDERS ACROSS PRACTICES TO BETTER COORDINATE SERVICES AMONG STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN A FAMILY'S CASE. AND JUST TO REFER BACK TO SOMETHING THAT REVEREND SCOTT WAS TALKING ABOUT. OFTENTIMES AND STILL WHENEVER A HOMICIDE HAPPENS THERE'LL BE SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS THAT GET ACTIVATED IN SOME CASES AND THEN IN SOME CASES NOBODY WILL BE. AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY THE PEACE INSTITUTE FELT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT EARLY ON TO ORGANIZE A COMMUNICATION NETWORK ACROSS THE CITY OF ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN TOUCHING THE LIVES OF A FAMILY AFTER A HOMICIDE HAPPENED SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE SERVICES, AVOID DUPLICATION AND ALSO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER. TRAUMA VIOLENCE IS ALL VERY DIFFICULT AND IT'S VERY INTENSE AND THINGS MOVE REALLY QUICKLY AND IN ORDER FOR US AS PROVIDERS TO DO THIS WORK WE HAVE TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER THAT WE CAN REALLY CALL EACH OTHER, TALK THINGS THROUGH, BUILD THAT TRUST AND ALSO JUST KNOW EACH OTHER. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF CREATING THAT NETWORK YEARS AGO AND WE WOULD TRAIN PROVIDERS WE WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO CAN CONTINUALLY GET TOGETHER.  IT'S CLEAR THAT WITHIN OUR TENURE THE PEACE INSTITUTE HAS RISEN TO THE OCCASION TO TAKE OUR ROLE TO PROMOTE THIS. WE'RE PROUD TO STAND WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY HEALTH RESPONSE NETWORK, FORMERLY A.T. AND ADVOCATE THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON APPROPRIATELY FUND THIS INITIATIVE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY,  COLLABORATIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RESPONDING TO EVERY HOMICIDE EQUITABLY ACROSS THE CITY AND IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  JUST A LITTLE I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO OUR NETWORK BUT JUST TO AGAIN TALK THROUGH ONE OF FAMILIES REFERRED TO THE PEACE INSTITUTE THERE MET WITH AN ARRAY OF SERVICES ADVOCACY AND CARE WITHIN USUALLY THE FIRST 24 TO 72 HOURS AFTER THE HOMICIDE FAMILIES ARE PAIRED WITH A SURVIVOR OUTREACH SERVICE COORDINATOR WHOSE SUPPORTS THEM THROUGH BURIAL MEMORIAL SERVICES AND CRISIS STABILIZATION.  WE DO THIS WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND ALSO OUR YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS LIKE MJI AND EVERYBODY THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM TODAY. THEY WILL ACTUALLY COME IF THEY HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILY AND SIT WITH THE FAMILY AND OUR STAFF. SO WE'RE DOING THIS TOGETHER IN MANY CASES IN REAL TIME. THE FAMILY CONTINUES TO RECEIVE ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE UNFOLDING OBSTACLES THAT OFTEN OCCUR IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HOMICIDE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE COURT PROCESS MENTAL HEALTH CARE ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN, EMERGENCY HOUSING, RELOCATION AND MEETING TANGIBLE NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, UTILITY, HOUSING AND SECURITY AND ALSO WHAT OFTEN COMES UP IS ASSISTANCE NEEDED FOR LAYING THEIR LOVED ONE TO REST FOR THE FUNERAL AND BURIAL SERVICES.  FAMILIES CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH OUR SERVICES. WE HAVE HEALING GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, SURVIVORS, LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.  WE ALSO HAVE REENTRY SERVICES NOW WHEN APPLICABLE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES BECAUSE THERE'S NOT REALLY A BINARY PEOPLE ARE IMPACTED KIND OF AN ALL ENDS OF THIS AND EVEN WITHIN ONE FAMILY AND ALSO WORKING WITH A NETWORK OF SURVIVORS. THERE'S SO MANY SURVIVOR LED ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM TODAY.  THERE'S SO MANY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE AND TRAUMA IN OUR CITY FIRSTHAND AND THEY'RE THE ONES ON THE FRONT LINES AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE DOING THE WORK. AND I THINK IT IS REALLY UNIQUE THAT WE HAVE A CITY THAT LOOKS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED AS THE EXPERTS IN THIS AND WHO WE'RE PUTTING ON THE FRONT LINES.  ALTHOUGH 64% OF FAMILIES SERVED AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE RESIDE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, THE CITY CURRENTLY CONTRIBUTES ONLY 8% OF WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO BOSTON FAMILIES WHO'VE WHOSE LOVED ONES HAVE DIED DUE TO HOMICIDE SUICIDE OVERDOSE. IT'S FOR THIS REASON THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY VOCAL DURING THE FY 25 BUDGET. WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF YOU ALL ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE ARE ADVOCATING THAT THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN OUR SERVICES ARE INCREASED TO A THREE YEAR FUNDING COMMITMENT OF $1,000,000 ANNUALLY. WE'VE PROPOSED PROPOSED THIS TO INCREASE ALSO THE FUNDING TO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH RESPONSE THAT REFLECTS THIS REALITY.  I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AGAIN TO DR. OJUKWU TO SAID THAT BOSTON IS UNIQUE IN HOW WE HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP WHERE IT'S FUNDING PARTNERS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.  IT REALLY IS AND I THINK THAT IT'S VERY STRATEGIC THAT THE CITY HAS AN INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO DO THIS. I'VE BEEN AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS AND PRE 2017 IT WAS US AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WAS KIND OF A HOLDER OF THIS COMMUNICATION. WHENEVER A HOMICIDE WOULD HAPPEN TO KIND OF ACTIVATE AND NETWORK AND I THINK THAT IT'S BEEN A GAIN AND A WIN THAT WE HAVE CENTRALIZED COMMUNICATION NOW WITHIN I'M STILL GOING TO CALL IT ENTITY I CAN'T GET THE NEW NAME DOWN BUT I REALLY LOVE THE NEW NAME THAT WE HAVE THIS CENTRALIZED COMMUNICATION THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS WORK OF RESPONDING TO HOMICIDE AND I'M JUST GOING TO STICK ON HOMICIDE. I KNOW THAT IS BIGGER RESPONDING TO TRAUMAS BUT THIS BEING PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHO'S WHO'S THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, WHO IS THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT THE TIME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE TO HAVE THIS WAY OF COMMUNICATING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAMS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP IS BECAUSE THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY WERE THERE BEFORE THERE WAS A CENTRALIZED PLACE FOR THIS IN THE CITY AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE CONTINUALLY ONGOING. THESE ARE THE EXPERTS WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS WHO HAVE THE CONNECTIONS.  SO I'M REALLY, REALLY ADVOCATING AND THE PEACE INSTITUTE IS REALLY ADVOCATING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CAN BE ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY EQUITABLY NOT JUST IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS BUT IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PUT FURTHER RESOURCE THAT THE HUMAN BEINGS ARE ACTUALLY GOING AND DOING THIS WORK ON A DAY TO DAY ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THERE ARE INCREDIBLE EXPERTS. THEY'RE SO KNOWLEDGEABLE. THIS WORK IS DIFFICULT. IT BURNS PEOPLE OUT VERY EASILY AND VERY FAST AND WE HAVE TO ALSO I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW THIS NETWORK AND TO SUSTAIN IT INVEST IN THE FURTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THE HEALING ALSO THE CONTINUED UNIFICATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.  I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW INCREDIBLE THE PEOPLE ARE THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK AND THAT ARE IN THESE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN ALL CONTINUE AND ALSO PASS ON THAT KNOWLEDGE AND LEADERSHIP SO THAT FOLKS CAN RETIRE SO THAT FOLKS CAN MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE THROUGH THE RANKS AS THEY GAIN EVEN MORE EXPERTISE THROUGH THIS. THAT'S HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN OUR CITY TO BE ONE OF THE SAFER PLACES. I LIKE HOW DR. YOBO SAYS IT THAT'S ALL RELATIVE BUT SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT EVEN FURTHER MONA AT THIS POINT AS WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND JUST WANT TO SAY HOW IMPORTANT THIS PARTNERSHIP IS FOR THE PEACE INSTITUTE AND FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.  GREAT. THANK YOU, RACHEL. AND THANK YOU PANEL.  WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO QUESTIONS NOW.  I'LL QUICKLY ASK IT. I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR YOU MENTIONED INFRASTRUCTURE SO MUCH JUST THEN BECAUSE THE WAY WITH WITH THE ASK OF YOU YOU KNOW, A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT OF $1,000,000 A YEAR. RIGHT. I THINK THE CONCERN ON THE COUNCIL'S SIDE AS WE HAVE THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TAXPAYER MONEY AND HOW THAT SPENT AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IF THAT IS AN INVESTMENT TO BE MADE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS SET UP CURRENTLY OR THAT IS PLANNED FOR IS ONE THAT EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD WITH. AND SO I WOULD ASK ALL OF YOU IN YOUR OPINION HOW THIS THIS NETWORK IS NOW SET UP HOW WOULD CURRENTLY OPERATES OR AT LEAST IT'S ANTICIPATED FORM IS IS EVERYONE'S ON BOARD WITH BECAUSE WE YOU DID ALSO MENTION HAVING DUPLICATIVE EFFORTS RIGHT AND WHERE SOME FOLKS IN ESPECIALLY ON THESE PROVIDERS WHERE THINGS CAN BE DUPLICATIVE AND SO THAT'S WHERE ON OUR END WE JUST HAVE TO SAY OKAY IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A MILLION A YEAR OVER THREE YEARS AND BUT THE SOME OF THE THINGS ARE OVERLAPPED IS THAT ARE WE ARE WE DOING OUR BEST FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AND THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE'RE OBLIGATED TO ASK OURSELVES. RIGHT. AND SO I'D LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FEEL THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE THERE'S THE PHILOSOPHIC CHANGE THAT DR. JUJU TALKED ABOUT THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS IT'S SET UP IS IS THE CORRECT INFRASTRUCTURE AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE THINK WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER? I THINK THAT IT IS THE CORRECT INFRASTRUCTURE AND I THINK THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS NETWORK NOW IT HELPS TO AVOID DUPLICATE DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.  THE FACT IT'S MORE ABOUT THE COORDINATION THAT IT PROVIDES SO THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I'M DOING FOR THIS FAMILY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT DOING THE SAME THING BUT WE'RE COMPLEMENTING EACH OTHER AND THAT'S WHAT THE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THIS NETWORK HAS SET UP NOW WITHIN THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION IS DOING AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE 1 MILLION IS FOR THE PEACE INSTITUTE TO JUST BE DOING OUR WORK BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IT COSTS A LOT MORE FOR THE COMMISSION TO DO THIS AND FULLY FUND AND SUPPORT ALL OF US AS PARTNERS YET RIGHT. WHICH IS WHY I TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL . BUT I UNDERSTAND THE ASK YES, I THINK THE OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOOD. IT IS WORKING. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOR YOU AND OTHER COUNCILORS, WHOEVER IT MAY BE AT THE TIME TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS PRACTICE OF LIKE CHECKING IN ON THINGS. THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO TO HAVE OUR OWN CHECKS AND BALANCES AND GROW. NOW I ALWAYS SAY I'M NOT DOING MY JOB IF I'M NOT MAKING SURE YOU'RE DOING THIS RIGHT THAT THAT'S THAT'S OUR ROLE MODEL IS YOU ALSO RAISE INFRASTRUCTURE I CAN'T I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE PIECES TO ASK BUT IN RESPECT TO THE AND I DON'T HAVE THE NAME IN MY HEAD YET EITHER BUT I'M GOING TO SAY ENTITY BUT IN RESPECT TO THE MODEL THAT THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS AROUND ADDRESSING TOP TRAUMA YOU KNOW I THINK THE BOSTON IS IN A VERY UNIQUE AND SPECIAL PLACE RIGHT IF WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR MAJOR CITIES WHO HAVE MUCH MORE VIOLENCE THAN THAN BOSTON AND WE WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT THROUGH THE CONVENING OF OUR NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN BOSTON AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY. THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAUMA THIS MODEL THAT THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IS A GREAT MODEL. IT PARTNERS COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION TIONS AND HEALTH CENTERS. RIGHT. SO YOUR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS REALLY GETTING THEM TO BEGIN TO TRUST AGAIN AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE WHOLE HEALING PROCESS. AND YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH CENTERS WHO ARE DEALING WITH THE CLINICAL THE MENTAL HEALTH PIECE OF THIS.  AND SO IT FORMED THIS GREAT ALLIANCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERSHIPS AND HEALTH CENTERS. RIGHT. SO YOU YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THAT. AND THEN WHEN YOU'VE BEEN TO THINK ABOUT NOT JUST BEING REACTIVE TO THE SHOOTING BUT BEING PROACTIVE. RIGHT. SO BEING PROACTIVE AND AND REALLY HAVING THIS WHOLE COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS EMBEDDED IN EACH COMMUNITY THAT CAN RESPOND QUICKLY WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS AND LIKE RACHEL SAID, IT IT ELIMINATES THE OVERLAP. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PEACE INSTITUTE, I THINK ABOUT MOTHERS STRESS AND EQUALITY AND YOU'LL SAY WELL, YOU KNOW, DON'T YOU GUYS DO THE SAME THING? NO. AND I TELL YOU NO BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PERSON WHO IS IMPACTED BY THAT VIOLENCE, RIGHT. THEY IMMEDIATELY NEED A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GO TO HELP THEM TO NAVIGATE THE SERVICES RIGHT . HOW DO I HOW DO I BURY MY LOVED ONE? AND I REMEMBER THAT WHEN MY NEPHEW WAS MURDERED THAT HOW HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?  RIGHT. AND I WENT TO PEACE INSTITUTE. RIGHT. MY NIECE TO AND AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MOTHERS FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY WE HAVE TO AS A CITY HELP PEOPLE MOVE FORWARD.  RIGHT. HOW DO YOU MOVE FORWARD AFTER THIS LOSS AND MOVING FORWARD MEANING SUSTAINABILITY IT'S ABOUT REBUILDING THAT LIFE AND GETTING A JOB. OUR JOB MANY JOB PLACEMENT CENTERS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH TRAUMA VICTIMS RIGHT THIS THERE'S ANOTHER WAY OF DOING THAT WORK AND THAT'S WHY WE CALL OURSELVES A TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICE. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE AGENCIES WHO ARE ABLE TO BE TOGETHER IN SUCH A NETWORK AND BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO LOOK WITHIN OURSELVES AS TO HOW ARE WE SERVING FAMILIES RIGHT. I REMEMBER HAVING A FAMILY AND THIS THIS PERSON NEEDED SOMETHING AROUND HOUSING THAT WE COULDN'T OFFER. SO WITHIN THE NETWORK THOSE SERVICES ARE THERE SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, BOSTON SHOULD GIVE ITSELF A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR REALLY HAVING THIS UNIQUE MODEL THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN AROUND OUR COUNTRY.  WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER WAS WAS PROMOTE IT AND LET THE WORLD KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING. SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S OVERLAPS I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY INVEST IN AND IN BUILDING MORE, YOU KNOW, MOBILIZATION OF SERVICES AND AND WHAT I HEAR OFTEN IS THAT BOSTON IS A RESOURCE RICH BUT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET IT RIGHT AND THAT'S OUR JOBS.  WE HELP THEM TO FIND THOSE RESOURCES SO SO I HOPE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION BUT I, I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL THAT WE SHOULD RALLY AROUND AND WE SHOULD LOOK TO HOW WE CAN REALLY, YOU KNOW, INVEST IN IT AND BUILD CAPACITY IN IT AND THAT WAY THEY'RE NOT OVER HERE AND WE'RE OVER HERE AND MORE THAN WORDS IS HERE WE ARE COMING TOGETHER.  AND SO THAT'S MY RESPONSE TO THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. LISTEN, I BELIEVE IT'S OUR COLLEAGUE JULIE MCHALE WHO ALWAYS LIKES TO SAY COME TO ME . I ALWAYS SAY WHAT RESOURCE RICH BUT COORDINATION POOR. YEAH. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW IT LOOKS IF THE COORDINATION IS THERE THEN WE CAN CONTINUE TO TO TO FUND IT TO GROW IT AND TO AMPLIFY IT TO A TO A TO A BETTER LEVEL. SO AND I'M FOLLOWING HER LEAD I WOULD LIKE $1,000,000 TO YEAH, I KNOW. HEY, YOU'RE AT YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT SEAT THIS IS THIS IS WHEN YOU ASK RIGHT YOU NEVER YOU NEVER KNOW YOU NEVER KNOW TILL YOU WRITE THAT DOWN. I APPRECIATE THAT I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE COUNSELOR FLYNN TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE PANEL. MR FLYNN, YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE PUZZLE. YOU HAVE TO DO.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR COORDINATING AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND WANT TO ALSO THANK THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE FOR TALKING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES AND FIRST I WANT TO SAY TO A VERY SORRY FOR FOR YOUR LOSS AND YOUR PAIN I THINK THROUGH YOUR LOSS AND YOUR PAIN YOU'RE TRYING TO HELP OTHER FAMILIES THAT ARE IN A SITUATION THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN TRYING TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE AND THROUGH THAT TERRIBLE LOSS YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU ARE DOING . ONE ONE QUESTION I HAD AND I ALWAYS I ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT AND THOUGHT ABOUT ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES RELATES TO TRAUMA IN YOUNG PEOPLE, TEENAGERS IF YOUR FRIEND WAS A VICTIM OF CRIME,  WHETHER IT WAS A STABBING OR IT WAS A GUN VIOLENCE THE VICTIM'S FRIENDS YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEY MIGHT BE 16, 17, 18 YEARS OR YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T GET THEM THE COUNSELING SUPPORT AND SERVICES THEY NEED I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED GROWING UP IN THE CITY BUT I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED THAT MORE VICTIMS OF CRIME WOULD TAKE PLACE BECAUSE OF THE RETALIATION.  BUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE REACH YOUNG PEOPLE, THE VICTIMS OF CRIME, THEIR FRIENDS ARE THEY OR THEIR SIBLINGS EVEN THEIR BROTHERS OR SISTERS? HOW DO WE REACH THEM BEFORE OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SITUATION AFTER THE VIOLENCE TAKES PLACE TO SHOW THEM THAT ANOTHER PATH IS POSSIBLE THROUGH COUNSELING, THROUGH SUPPORT, THROUGH CONSTRUCTIVE IMPROVEMENTS BUT VIOLENCE RESPONDING TO VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE IS CERTAINLY NOT THE ANSWER YOU ARE A 150% CORRECT COUNSELOR AND ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT WE DO AT MOTHERS JUST EQUALITY IS THAT WE HAVE A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AREA WE ARE WORKING AT SOUTH BAY. THEY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE PEACE UNIT FOR 25 I THINK IT'S UP TO 25 AND THESE ARE FIRST OFFENDERS THAT ARE COMING INTO INTO INTO THE PRISON AND THEY WORK WITH THEM SO THAT THEY DON'T RE-OFFEND. RIGHT. SO SO WE GO IN THERE AND WE WORK WITH THEM. WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM AND THROUGH THANK YOU THE SHANNON GRANT DOLLARS AND THOSE WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE STIPENDS SO WHEN THEY LEAVE PRISON THEY COME TO US AND WE START TO WORK WITH THEM ON ON SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH STUFF. RIGHT SO WE'RE WE'RE DOING ASSESSMENTS WE'RE NOT CLINICIANS BUT WE PARTNER WITH OTHER CLINTON CLINICAL PARTNERS AND WE IF THEY NEED THAT WE GET THEM THAT RIGHT. SO WE'RE BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THAT AND WE GET FROM A JOB, RIGHT. SO FIRST YOU'RE DOING WE DO LIKE THREE MONTHS OF JUST KIND OF PRE TRAINING.  THEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYER PARTNERS THAT WOULD TAKE THEM AND WE PAY THE INTERNSHIP BUT WOULD YOU TAKE THEM AND LET THEM HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE DURING THAT TIME? WE'RE DOING THE COACHING, THE MENTORING, CONTINUING THE COUNSELING AND OUR GOAL IS THAT THEY'LL GO FROM 15 TO 18 TO 20 THE STIPENDS ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE AND BECAUSE THEY NEED MONEY RIGHT?  WE CAN'T JUST PROGRAM THEM AND THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE OKAY WITH PROGRAMING. WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM STIPENDS SO THAT THEY DON'T RETURN BACK TO THE LIFE THAT THEY KNEW RIGHT THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH YOUNG PARENTS, RIGHT? SO THERE'S THERE'S THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO WHO HAVE BECOME PARENTS AT A VERY EARLY AGE AND IN OUR YOUTH PROGRAM WE'VE JUST HAD TWO BIRTHS OF OF OF CHILDREN AND SO TRAUMA BEGINS IN THE AND SO REALLY BEGINNING TO WORK WITH YOUNG PARENTS HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO BE PARENTS BUT ALSO ADDRESSING THE SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM AND NOW WITH THE SUPPORT OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL THEY JUST DID A GRANT AROUND YOUTH AND HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO TRAIN YOUTH TO BE ADVOCATES. SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT A PEER TO PEER MODEL WHERE YOU CAN TRAIN A YOUNG PERSON TO BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS WE HAVE TO BREAK THE STIGMATISM AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND WHAT IT MEANS WE HAVE TOO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BIPOLAR AND OTHER DISORDERS THAT ARE UNDIAGNOSED AND AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. RIGHT. AND IF IT'S UNDIAGNOSED THEY'RE EITHER GOING TO END UP IN PRISON OR THEY'RE GOING TO END UP IN THE GRAVE.  AND SO WE ARE DEFINITELY TRYING TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES AND I HEARD THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TALK ABOUT IT AS WELL. BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I MEAN IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENDING VIOLENCE, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO ARE WHO ARE BURDENED WITH THIS MENTAL HEALTH THAT IS UNDIAGNOSED AND ADDRESSED AND AND IT'S IT'S IT'S ONE OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF MENTAL HEALTH THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE COMMUNITIES WHO WE'RE SEEING LIKE YOU KNOW, HIGH RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, CHRONIC ILLNESS IT'S BECAUSE THE MENTAL HEALTH WAS NEVER ADDRESSED AND IT'S REAL. I SEE IT EVERY DAY WITH WITH MOTHERS THAT IT NEVER GOT ADDRESSED AND SO IT'S WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND IT HAS TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF CONVERSATIONS AND AND AND THE INEQUALITY THAT THAT HAS EXISTED IN FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES GETTING PROPER TREATMENT. SO I THINK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE I KNOW YOU KNOW THE PEACE INSTITUTE AND WITH A WILL WILL SAY THE SAME THING THAT THAT IS REAL AND THAT IS IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW AND CALLED IT MADE IT VERY VISIBLE BUT IT WAS ALWAYS THERE THE GOOD THING SO WHAT MONA LISA TALKED ABOUT TOO IS THAT INTERVENTIONS HAVE TO HAPPEN ON MULTIPLE LEVELS PRIMARY,  SECONDARY, TERTIARY IT HAS TO BE IN OUR SCHOOLS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN A HAS TO BE AVAILABLE WHEN SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED AND ALSO AFTER THE FACT.  AND THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS NETWORK TOO IS THAT THERE'S PARTNERS THAT ARE DOING WORK IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS AT THE PEACE INSTITUTE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET ASKED A LOT AND WE GET ASKED A LOT ABOUT LIKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREVENT VIOLENCE? AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING IN A SPACE WHERE OFTENTIMES WE'RE NOT GETTING CONNECTED TO PEOPLE UNTIL THE WORST THING HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. AND SO OUR STANCE AND KIND OF TRYING TO TRANSFORM THEM THE WAY SOCIETY THINKS ABOUT HOMICIDE AND THINKS ABOUT PREVENTION TOO IS THAT AN EQUITABLE RESPONSE TO A TRAUMA OR TO A HOMICIDE IS ALSO PREVENTION BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IF YOU ARE RESPONDING TO EVERYBODY NO MATTER THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, NO MATTER THE AGE OF THE VICTIM, NO MATTER WHETHER IT WAS A SHOOTING STABBING OR IF THE PERSON HAD A CRIMINAL RECORD, IF YOU ARE RESPONDING AS A CITY, AS A COMMUNITY EQUITABLY TO THIS FAMILY AND SURROUNDING THEM BY ALL OF THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND ARE POSSIBLE AND SEEING THAT THEY'RE WORTHY OF THESE THINGS AND THAT THEIR LOVED ONE'S LIFE IS VALUABLE,  THAT IS GOING TO HELP TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR HEALING TO HAPPEN EVEN MORE READILY AND MORE QUICKLY. WHAT WE WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AS A NETWORK TOO WHEN WE'RE RESPONDING IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF A TRAUMA OR HOMICIDE, WE REALLY TRY TO NORMALIZE THAT FEELING HOMICIDAL AND RETALIATORY ALSO SUICIDAL USING SUBSTANCES TO COPE WITH IT LIKE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. THESE ARE REALLY NORMAL RESPONSES TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND SO WE PROVIDE A LOT OF EDUCATION COLLECTIVELY TO THE FAMILIES THAT WE'RE TALKING TO. WE'RE TRAINED ALL OF US TO TO NOTICE THESE SIGNS AND TO HAVE THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND SOMETIMES WITH THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THESE LOOK LIKE IS A FAMILY IS IN OUR OFFICE. IT'S THREE DAYS AFTER THEIR LOVED ONE WAS MURDERED AND THEY'RE SITTING THERE AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY SON'S FRIENDS ARE ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING AND I'M WORRIED I DON'T WANT THEM TO RETALIATE IN MY SON'S NAME. WE'RE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WELL WHAT CAN WE DO?  THEY'RE COMING TO YOU. YOU HAVE THEIR EAR, YOU HAVE THEIR HEART. AND SO WE'RE ALSO LIKE SUPPORTING FAMILIES TO HAVE THOSE REALLY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS IN THE MOMENT. AND I THINK THAT THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITHIN THE PEACE INSTITUTE AND ALSO THE WORK THAT ALL OF US ARE DOING ACROSS THE CITY IN HAVING THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW SOMETIMES IF THAT WORKED. BUT WE'RE OUT THERE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE KNOW JUST BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE THAT THOSE TYPE OF THINGS GO A REALLY LONG WAY AND YOU'RE PLANTING SEEDS AND SOMEBODY MIGHT COME BACK TO YOU AND IT HAS HAPPENED. SOMEBODY WILL COME BACK TO THE PEACE INSTITUTE TEN YEARS LATER AND BE LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT, BECAUSE OF WHAT SO-AND-SO SAID, I DIDN'T DO THIS THING THAT I WAS GOING TO GO DO. I WAS LITERALLY SITTING OUTSIDE AND I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE WE PLANTED SEEDS. SO I JUST THERE'S THINGS THAT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE BUT THAT REALLY IS THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING. THANK YOU.  YES, GO AHEAD. I JUST HAD ONE OTHER QUICK THING TO SAY ALSO IT ALSO AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY SO I WANTED TO SAY AN EXAMPLE FOR THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS KILLED 12 YEAR OLD ACROSS THE STREET IN HIS HOME BUT IT WAS ACROSS THE STREET FROM A PARK THAT I GOT THAT CALL ALSO TO BE ON WITH THE FIRST RESPONDERS. BUT I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING SOMETHING ELSE.  SO WHAT M.J WE DID IS BECAUSE WHEN WE DID ARRIVE ON THE SCENE WELL I ARRIVED ON THE SCENE TO SEE HOW IT WAS DOING. A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS HEARING IS OH NOW I HAVE NO PLACE FOR MY KID TO GO. CAN'T GO TO THE PARK NOW THIS SHOOTING ALTHOUGH THE SHOOTING WAS ISOLATED IT IN THE RUMORS AND THE DRAMA THAT'S GOING ON IS WE CAN'T BRING OUR BABIES TO THE PARK. WHILE I WAS THERE THE VERY NEXT DAY WITH THE YOUTH AND WHAT WE DID IS WE HAD STEM ACTIVITIES, WE HAD GAMES, WE WERE WENT TO THE MILDRED AV AND INVITED TO SUMMER PROGRAM TO COME OUT AND LET THEM KNOW WE WERE THERE.  WE DIDN'T WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE BECAUSE OF THAT SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED THE PARK IS CLOSED AND IT'S NOT SAFE. WE SHOWED THEM THAT THE PARK IS STILL SAFE AND THAT CHILDREN COULD STILL COME OUT AND PLAY.  SO WE DID THAT STEM THING FOR THREE WEEKS AFTER THAT SHOOTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS KNEW THAT THE PARK WAS STILL AVAILABLE AND WE WOULD ALL DO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THERE AT THAT PARK SO THEY WOULD CONTINUE SEEING THAT WE ARE STILL SUPPORTING AND COMING OUT THERE AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT PARK AND IS SAFE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. NO AND THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY HEAL.  MARCUS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD WITH OTHERWISE . YES. I JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS THE PREVENTION AND WHEN I USED TO DO VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WAS REALLY CONNECTING TO THE YOUTH REGULARLY IN OUR COMMUNITY MAKING SURE THEY HAD OPPORTUNE JOBS.  THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PIECES OF THE FACILITIES WHICH WERE FREE TO THEM AND THEY WOULD UTILIZE THEM, CONNECT THEM WITH THE SPORTSMEN'S AND ADA CELLS AND COLLABORATING IN MAKING SURE ACTIVITIES WAS CONSTANTLY WITHIN OUR HEARTS.  OUR COMMUNITY GARDENS WERE BEING KEPT UP AND UTILIZED BECAUSE WE ALSO FOUND THOSE WAS THE MOMENT WHEN THEY WASN'T UTILIZED MORE GANGS WOULD TAKE OVER THOSE AREAS AND UTILIZE THOSE SPOTS AND REALLY CREATING SAFE SPACES, MAKING SURE JOB AVAILABILITY AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP GROUPS AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS PARTNERING WITH BIG BROTHER, BIG SISTER AND THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX OF WHAT MAKES A SAFE SUMMER AND CHANGING THE VIEW TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT IS GOING TO STOP THIS HAPPENING ME I HANG OUT WITH THE SAME PEOPLE THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE FAMILY TO ME WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE IT NOT HAPPEN TO ME AND MAKING IT I WANT TO RETALIATE OR JUST LOOK FOR MORE SAFE CONNECTING TO OUR COMMUNITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR CSO OFFICES AND CREATING THAT COMMUNITY POLICING AND HAVING THE COMMUNITY FEEL THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO TURN TO OUR OFFICERS NOT ONLY IN THE 911 SITUATION HAVING THOSE WORKING GROUPS AND ACTIVATING OUR COMMUNITY, REACHING OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR FINDING OUT WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT WE COULD START PROACTIVELY TAKING A LOOK ON WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THIS AREA IF THIS AREA IS BEING RUN DOWN AND IT'S NOT BEING KEPT UP, WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW DO YOU UTILIZED DO ONE ONE WITH INFORMING INCLUSION, EDUCATING OUR YOUNG ONES UP TO OUR SENIORS ARE FACING WHAT IS GOING TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ME MY FAMILY AFTER A TRAUMATIC INCIDENT SO THAT PREVENTION WORK IS REALLY IMPORTANT CONNECTED TO THOSE RESIDENTS AND BECAUSE EACH ONE OF OUR MICROSITES HAVE A PREVENTION PROGRAM CONNECTING WITH THE HEALTH CENTERS, THOSE COLLABORATIONS ARE ABLE TO BE DONE IN LIFE TIME. THANK YOU MARCUS.  WE WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD PUBLIC TESTIMONY PANEL YOU GUYS WELCOME TO JUST STAY THERE IF YOU WANT TO IT'S IT IS ONLY ONE PERSON AND SO AND THEN WE'LL WRAP UP BUT WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS BUT I DON'T THINK THEY ARE HERE. THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON ZOOM. JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME NEIGHBORHOOD AND ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION AND PLEASE SPEAKING OF MICROPHONE AND KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO IT SAYS 2 MINUTES. BUT ALEXIS, YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON HERE TO TESTIFY SO PLEASE TAKE IT TAKE 3 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME PLEASE AND TELL US YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ALEXIS.  ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS HEAR ME ? YEP, WE CAN HEAR YOU. LET'S JUST GO AHEAD. OKAY.  GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ALEXIS SMITH AND I AM THE MOM OF AMEEN LACY. IT'S BEEN A WHILE BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THE REASON WHY I HAVE BEEN DOING THE WORK THAT I DO AND WHAT IT IS THAT I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO US PROGRESSING A NEXT PHASE OF WHAT WE NEED AS A COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE NEED INDIVIDUALLY. SO I'M GOING TO READ A PART OF HIS JOURNAL THAT HE WROTE IN SEPTEMBER 2017 BEFORE HE LOST HIS LIFE IN DECEMBER 2017.  SO HE SAYS WHO I AM? MY NAME IS THE ME . I AM 17 YEARS OLD. I'M AFRICAN-AMERICAN KAY BYRD. ALSO I COME FROM A CHRISTIAN FAMILY.  MY BACKGROUND I HAVE PLAYED BASKETBALL FOR A TEAM CALLED THE BOSTON SPARTANS FOR FOUR YEARS. I ALSO PLAYED FOR A SOCCER TEAM. HE PLAYED FOR FOUR BASEBALL TEAMS AND RAN TRACK. MY KEY LIFE EXPERIENCE TRAVELING DIFFERENT PLACES WITH MY BASKETBALL TEAM LIKE FLORIDA ,NEW JERSEY, ETC.. I HAVE BEEN TO A LOT OF PLACES IN LIFE GOALS I HAVE IN LIFE IS TO TRY AND MAKE IT TO THE NBA BUT IF I DON'T I NEED TO COME UP WITH A BACKUP PLAN. I STILL DON'T HAVE A BACKUP BECAUSE WHAT IF I DON'T MAKE IT? EVERY KID DOESN'T MAKE IT. BUT ANOTHER GOAL IN LIFE I GOT IS TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL ALSO MAKE IT TO COLLEGE.  SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS I WOULD SAY I DON'T LIVE IN THE HOOD. I MOVED OUT WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD WITH MY MOTHER.  BUT COLLEGE I WANT TO GO. IT'S SO MUCH FUN. I WANT TO LIVE OUT OF STATE FOR COLLEGE AND PLAY BALL ON CAMPUS . HE WANTED TO PLAY AT MICHIGAN STATE FOR THEIR BOSS FOR THEIR SPARTANS TEAM.  THAT WAS HIS TOP OUR TOP FOUR AFTER COLLEGE. I HOPE I CAN MAKE IT TO THE NBA BUT IF NOT COLLEGE SHOULD HELP ME FIND A GOOD JOB AFTER I GRADUATE. GENDER? WELL I'M A YOUNG MAN ABOUT TO BE A MAN BUT I DID USED TO GET JUMPED BY OTHER KIDS.  BY THE TIME I GOT OLDER THAT ALL STOPPED. I COULDN'T FIGHT BACK BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIGHT FOR MYSELF AND STAND UP TO WHAT THEY WAS DOING. MY MOM HELPED ME GET BACK ON MY FEET BECAUSE I WAS GOING THROUGH IT. I WAS TIRED.  I FELT LIKE LIFE IS TOO SHORT. I WAS TRYING TO HURT MYSELF AND NO LONGER BE ON THIS EARTH ANYMORE. KIDS WERE BOTHERING ME TO THE POINT I WANTED TO TAKE IN MY OWN LIFE.  BUT THE WOMAN THAT MADE ME WAS THE ONE CALMING DOWN, HELPING ME FROM HURTING MYSELF. I WASN'T CRAZY. I WAS BEING BULLIED AT THE PARK AND THAT STAGE I BECAME STRONGER THAN WHAT I WAS. MY MOM FOUGHT FOR ME AND GOT ME INTO A GOOD METAL SCHOOL. IT WAS CALLED THE EPIPHANY GREAT SCHOOL WENT THERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND THEN GRADUATED.  AFTER THAT I STARTED MY FIRST DAY AT A HIGH SCHOOL. THAT WAS ANOTHER COURSE TO COLLEGE BUT SCHOOL JUST WASN'T FIT FOR ME . I WAS THERE. IT WAS A GREAT SCHOOL JUST DIDN'T HAVE WHAT I NEEDED. ALSO I WAS LOST.  HARD FOR ME TO CATCH UP SO I NEEDED A NEW START AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT ME AND A WAS WORKING ON FINDING A NEW PLACE THAT WOULD FIT AND WORK FOR HIM AS THE EPIPHANY THAT WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD. HIS PERSONALITY, HOW HIS BRAIN FUNCTION AND WHAT WOULD BE A VERY THRIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR HIM THAT THAT CONNECTED TO WHAT I JUST READ TO YOU. I MEAN WITH A VERY GOOD YOUNG MAN AND WANTED SO MUCH MORE OUT OF HIS LIFE WHEN HE WAS GOING TO THE CENTER HE STARTED GETTING THREATENED AND TOLD ME HE NO LONGER FELT SAFE GOING THERE. SO ALL THE COMMUNITY PLACES AND PLACES THAT I TRY TO FIND THAT WOULD BE FITTING SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND NEVER BECOME A PART OF THE PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM NEVER COMES TO MY FRONT DOOR. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT US WOULD BE CONSISTENT AND DIDN'T TAKE WHAT WE WERE SAYING SERIOUSLY. I TOOK HIM TO COURT A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE HE LOST HIS LIFE TRYING TO FIND SAFETY FOR MY SON BECAUSE HE SAID THAT SOMEONE HAD RECORDED A VIDEO WITH A WEAPON THREATENING MY LIFE AND WAITING FOR ME TO COME HOME. I STILL LIVE WITH THIS RESIDENTS. TWO SUMMERS AGO SOMEONE HAD TO MY STREET AND WAS SHOOTING. I STILL LIVE AT THIS RESIDENCE . I'VE TRIED TO FIND MULTIPLE RESOURCES ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO HELP ME IN NEED.  WE HAVE BEEN VULNERABLE AND EXPRESSIVE ABOUT OUR TRAUMA ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND NEVER REALLY GOT THE SUPPORT THAT NEEDED. I LIVE IN FEAR WARY A JOB THAT I WAS TRYING TO PURSUE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. I DIDN'T UP PURSUING BECAUSE THE DOCTOR HAD COMMITTED SUICIDE BECAUSE HE WAS A CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. I NEVER GOT HOPE FOR THAT AND IT NEVER MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THAT FIELD. THE WORK THAT I DO WITH EVERYONE IS FREE HAND BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S SAFER FOR ME TO KIND OF BE AN ENTREPRENEUR, A MOVER THAN TO TRUST THAT THE PEOPLE THAT THINK THAT THEY WANT TO DO THINGS TO MAKE A CHANGE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE WITH ME BECAUSE EVERY ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE TO THE POINT WHERE I'VE BEEN DEPRESSED. I DON'T FEEL MOTIVATED AT TIMES AND WHEN I DO WANT TO GET OUT THERE AND DO SOMETHING I LOSE THAT DRIVE BECAUSE MY TRAUMA DOESN'T GET ADDRESSED FOR THE SERVICES THAT I FOR SEEMS TO BE UNREACHABLE LIKE MOVING FROM MY APARTMENT, RESTARTING MY LIFE, TRYING TO PAY MY BILLS, GET EVERYTHING SITUATED BECAUSE I PUT ALL MY MONEY INTO KEEPING MY SON SAFE BY HAVING HIM PLAY FOURTH GO TO STABLE CAMP. ME AND ME DID NOT GET MUCH TIME TOGETHER BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO KEEP HIM SAFE AWAY FROM WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AND IT HAPPENED TO ME AT 12 AND A HALF YEARS OLD. I AM A GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVOR.  I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO DID THIS TO ME . I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO DID THAT TO MY SON AND I TRY TO KEEP HIM AWAY FROM INFLUENCES THAT WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE AS A CHILD AND BECAUSE OF WHAT OCCURRED. A CHILD WAS AN ADDRESS THAT LOOKED AS A CHILD AND IF THE CHILD A GOOD CHILD A CHILD THAT HAD DREAMS AND GOALS TO BE SOMETHING MORE THAN A STATISTIC AND SHOOT TO CONTINUE WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN OUR CITY AND THAT'S GUN VIOLENCE UNREALISTIC THINGS FOR REASONS THAT NEVER REALLY MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO THRIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO TALK MORE IN-DEPTH ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HOW DO WE REACH RESOURCES WHEN WE COME TO YOU AND SAY THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME , THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME , I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE.  I NEED TO GET MY FRIEND TO SAFETY. IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE DUI AT LEAST.  AND DO I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE IN A SENSE SEE WHAT MY SON WAS DOING OR IF HE WERE GOING TO TELL ON THEM AND THAT WASN'T THE CASE.  IT WAS LIKE WE NEED SAFETY AWAY FROM HERE. THE INFLUENCE TO DRAG HIM INTO A LIFE THAT HE NEVER WANTED AND IT CAUSED HIM TO LOSE HIS LIFE. I FEEL REALLY SAD FOR A YOUNG CHILD A YOUNG ADULT, NOT EVEN ADULT THAT DIDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO REALLY BEGIN HIS LIFE. BUT HE DID GET TO DO A LOT OF AMAZING THINGS TO MAKE ME PROUD TO MAKE HIS CITY PROUD. AND I FEEL LIKE THE LOT OF TIMES THAT I DON'T GET SUPPORT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED BUT NO ONE LOOKS AT WHAT HE DID, WHAT HE WAS AND WHAT WE DID TO BE PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE AND STILL WHAT I DO TODAY TO HELP OTHERS I CAN'T EVEN REALLY GET THE HELP THAT I GIVE OUT TO MY COMMUNITY AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL HOPELESS AT TIMES. THAT MAKES ME LOSE MY DRIVE SOME TIME AND IT ALSO MAKES ME NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF CERTAIN THINGS ANYMORE WHEN I REALLY WANT TO AND I SHOULD BE TO AND DESERVE TO AND NOT LIVE IN THE CYCLE OF SADNESS BECAUSE I PUT ALL THIS WORK IN TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS ALL FOR NOTHING OUT HERE AND ALL THE WORK THAT I PUT IN TO BE A GOOD PERSON. THERE IS NO REWARD IT SEEMS SO I JUST WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULD TALK MORE IN-DEPTH, BE MORE MORE INTENTIONAL, BE MORE HONORABLE AND REALLY SHOW UP FOR FAMILY THAN PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING TO YOU AND BEING VULNERABLE AND SHARING WHO THEY ARE AND HELPING US TO BUILD SOMETHING MORE BECAUSE LIKE SHE SAID, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER KIDS LEFT BEHIND THAT NEED SUPPORT AND HELP. I WOULD LOVE TO DO SO MUCH MORE WITH THEM LIKE ME AND THE KIDS WERE JUST TALKING AT THIS PARTY ABOUT NEXT YEAR WE SHOULD GET A HOUSE AND GET AWAY FROM THE CITY AND JUST GO HAVE FUN AND CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY. SOMETIMES I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GET HELP OR TO TO FURTHER MY THE HELP THAT I NEED IN GOING TO DIFFERENT PLACES. I GOT TO PAY MY BILL IF I CAN'T GET RESOURCES TO HELP ME I CAN'T CHOOSE BETWEEN MY MENTAL HEALTH AND MY BILLS.  THEN I GUESS ALL YOU'RE GOING TO DO YOU GOT TO GET OUT. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE. YOU CAN'T STAY HERE ANYMORE. SO THEN HOW DO I GET MY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IF I DON'T HAVE THE FINANCES TO DO ALL? IF I'M DEALING WITH SO MUCH I CAN'T GO TO BACK WORK YET. I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M OKAY FOR AND HAVE THE TOOLS I NEED TO REENTER SOCIETY TO REENTER THESE NETWORKS THAT HAVE FAILED ME AND A MEAN ON SO MANY LEVELS.  I'M NOT GOING TO BEG AND I GET DUMPED SORRY . NO I DIDN'T I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF. I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT OKAY,  IF IT'S A TWO MINUTE TIME IT'S FINE. NO, WE GO AHEAD. I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. WE'VE SPOKEN AND I'VE I'VE I'VE HEARD YOUR STORY BEFORE ABOUT YOUR SON BUT CERTAINLY NOT IN THE WAY YOU JUST TOLD IT.  IT CERTAINLY HITS EVEN MORE EMOTIONALLY AND SO AGAIN, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU YOURSELF ARE GETTING THE HELP YOU NEED. I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED WITH THE PEACE INSTITUTE AND I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO ADD THE SERVICES THAT I THINK YOU'RE SEEKING ARE THE ONES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SUPPORTING TODAY AND MAKING SURE WE AMPLIFY FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF GOING THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND SO YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO REACH OUT, REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE,  REACH OUT TO TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND THEN AGAIN YOU DO A BEAUTIFUL JOB OF KEEPING YOUR SON'S NAME ALIVE AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PEACE INSTITUTE. THAT'S GREAT. THEY DEFINITELY HELP SUPPORT ME BUT I NEED THE RESOURCES SUPPORT. THEY CAN'T DO IT ALL. COVER IT ALL. SO THERE'S THOSE OTHER PARTS THAT I NEED HELP FROM OTHER PLACES. BUT THE PEACE INSTITUTE HAS DEFINITELY HELPED ME IN A TREMENDOUS WAY WITH WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY'RE ORGANIZED.  SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY, ALEXIS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOU'RE WELCOME.  WITH THAT CONSULATE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A CLOSING STATEMENT.  I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE FOR YOUR TESTIMONY FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY HELPING SO MANY FAMILIES THAT DESPERATELY NEED IT. AND I HOPE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT YOU AND THE OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR.  AND MANY OF YOU MAYBE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE BUT I SORT OF START MY OVERALL APPROACH TO THIS JOB IN GENERAL IS KEEPING FAMILIES IN THE CITY RIGHT IN BUILDING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FAMILIES CAN STAY BECAUSE WHEN YOU BUILD AROUND FAMILIES, EVERYBODY BENEFITS. NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE KIDS JUST TO LIVE HERE AND ENJOY IT. BUT BUT IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE AND SOMETIMES THAT'S AROUND HOUSING AND IT'S SCHOOLS AND IT'S SAFETY BUT OTHER TIMES IT'S THE SMALLER THINGS ABOUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS KNOW THAT THEY'RE CARED ABOUT RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS DO ON THE GROUND ESPECIALLY WHEN HARD MOMENTS HIT IN LIFE THAT YOU GUYS ARE THERE TO SHOW THEM THAT THEY'RE LOVED AND THAT THEY'RE CARED FOR AND THAT HELPS KEEP THE CONTINUITY OF FAMILIES IN THIS CITY. RIGHT. AND THAT AND THAT IS WHAT OVER TIME WILL BE ABLE TO CHIP AWAY AT THE VIOLENCE. I THINK THAT'S WHAT BOSTON DOES A GREAT JOB AT NOW AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO AND TO FUND AND TO SUPPORT AND I KNOW THE WORK IS NOT EASY FOR ALL OF YOU SO I THINK YOU KNOW, THE PANEL OF OF MR ISAAC, PABLO AND DR. OJUKWU DO REVEREND SCOTT,  RACHEL, MONA LISA, ARETHA MARCUS THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO. PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE OFFICE AS WE GO FORWARD AND PLEASE ASK WHETHER WE GET IT OR NOT. ASK AWAY RIGHT ALL OF YOU AND CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR WE ALL KNOW THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO HELP. YEAH. YOU GOT A WEEK BUT SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.  I LEARNED A LOT TODAY AND I FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT ABOUT THE WAY THAT WE ARE APPROACHING THIS AND WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU IN ANY OTHER WAY GOING FORWARD. SO WITH THAT THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 0415 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU