Social Services and Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Social Services and Public Safety Committee convened on June 3, 2025, at 1:00 P.M., with J. Reynolds presiding. The meeting covered five agenda items, all of which were informational in nature, including an approval of the April 15, 2025 Committee Summary, updates on the Substance Use Disorder Intervention program, the EmPATH Center, and the Hope Center Expansion Project, as well as a review of items referred to the committee. No votes were taken during the meeting, and no public comments were heard. The session functioned primarily as a briefing and update forum, with committee members receiving information across several ongoing social services initiatives.

Attendance

The following 10 members were present at the Committee meeting on 2025-06-03:

• J. Reynolds
• W. Baxter
• D. Wu
• C. Ellinger
• T. Morton
• S. Lynch
• D. Gray
• J. Hale
• A. Beasley
• H. Boone

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Approval of April 15, 2025 Committee Summary

The committee took up the approval of the April 15, 2025 Committee Summary as an agenda item during the June 3, 2025 meeting. J. Reynolds was the key speaker associated with this item.

The item was treated as informational in nature, and no specific concerns, debates, or amendments to the summary were noted in the available record. No formal vote outcome was recorded for this item.

Substance Use Disorder Intervention Update

Carmen Combs Marks delivered a presentation to the Committee providing an update on the Substance Use Disorder Intervention Program. The update covered two primary areas: the SAMHSA grant and the Opioid Abatement Commission.

No additional detail on the specific content of the presentation, concerns raised by Committee members, or debate among participants is available from the provided materials. The item was informational in nature, and no vote or formal action was taken as an outcome of the discussion.

EmPATH Center Update

Dr. Lindsey Jasinski and Dr. Marc Woods presented an update on the EmPATH Center, covering the EmPATH model, its national expansion, and its outcomes in improving behavioral health. The presentation was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken by the Committee.

The discussion focused on the EmPATH model as an approach to behavioral health care, along with details regarding how the model has been expanding at a national level. Dr. Jasinski and Dr. Woods addressed outcomes associated with the model's implementation in the context of improving behavioral health results.

No additional detail on specific figures, concerns raised, or debate among Committee members is available from the provided materials.

Hope Center Expansion Project Update

Jeff Crook presented an update on the Hope Center Expansion Project during this agenda item. The presentation covered the building's specifications and addressed a delay in the facility's opening caused by a pipe burst.

No additional details regarding the specific building specifications, the timeline for the delayed opening, or any concerns raised during the discussion are available in the meeting record. The item was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken by the Committee.

Items Referred to Committee

Under Agenda Item V, the committee reviewed items that had been referred to them for consideration. J. Reynolds was identified as a key speaker during this portion of the meeting.

No specific action was taken on the referred items, and the discussion was informational in nature. No further details regarding the specific content of the referred items, any debate or concerns raised, or additional context were available from the meeting record.