RECOMMENDATION:
Creation of a COVID-19 Homeless Mental health Response Center through an interlocal agreement between the City of Houston and HARRIS COUNTY CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services).
Per CDC guidelines, during pandemics like COVID-19, it is imperative, as a public health response, to transition high-risk individuals off our streets and out of our shelters. However, an estimated 15-25% of unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in the greater Houston area suffer from severe mental health issues that prevent the city, county and local partners from quickly assisting and housing them out of harm’s way. A small population of Houston’s homeless are suffering from mental health issues severe enough as to prevent quickly assisting and housing this community.
These extremely acute individuals have the largest impact on first responders and hospitals, routinely requiring emergency interventions and utilizing critical hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency care, enhancing the risk COVID-19 exposure to first responders and utilizing vital hospital beds needed for COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, if infected with COVID-19, it is often very challenging to successfully treat this population and prevent communal spread.
The COVID-19 Homeless Mental Health Response Center will consist of 108 beds, providing medical, rehabilitative and respite programs. This will help stabilize this population so they can be permanently housed through the Community COVID-19 Homeless Housing Program.
City Council is here approving $5,000,000.00, to be used toward the $7,500,000.00 purchase price of the land and improvements on the property. The balance of this purchase and other costs will be provided by Harris County.
This recommendation is made pursuant to section 252.022(a)(2) of the Texas Local Government Code, which provides that "a procurement necessary to preserve or protect the public health or safety of the municipality's residents" is exempt from the competitive bidding process.
Disaster Note:This item is related to the impact of COVID-19 and it is the City's intent to use other federal funding sources for eligible expenditures, namely the Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars.
Fiscal Note:
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
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Andy Icken Marc Eichenbaum
Mayor's Office Mayor's Office
Deputy Director Special Assistant