AGENDA PACKET - Laserfiche WebLink

PAGE 80 Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton might streamline and/or coordinate their funding processes, wherever possible. There are a number of possible revisions to the funding process including: having longer durations of funding, providing funding for capacity building, simplifying application and reporting requirements, establishing a minimum grant award, and/or developing multi-year service contracts for core service providers to meet identified needs. Each city could support the identification of alternative funding sources and help leverage outside funds. Regional funding strategies should also be considered to allow cities to leverage funds for infrastructure, and ensure that services are not duplicative. Additionally, there are a number of possible revisions to existing funding streams that might be considered. For example, councils might consider general fund money, or different revenue measures to support nonprofits. Consideration might also be given to a revenue measure to work regionally. Finally, a regional awarding body could be established to serve the three cities. Regardless of funding processes or streams, a strategic approach must be taken to ensure the region is collaboratively moving toward addressing root causes of inequities. For example, North Star questions could be used to ensure projects are collaborative, considering both upstream and downstream systemic factors, and encouraging community engagement. Actionable Recommendation 4: Build Pipelines for a Diverse Workforce Community members and nonprofit organizations alike identified the need for racially, culturally, and linguistically responsive providers. The provider types most often mentioned included health care workers such as dental and mental health providers and service navigators. There is a need to not only attract and retain a diverse workforce, but to also build one. One approach is to build a pipeline program in collaboration with local high schools. This could attract people who already speak a second language. For those who are English-speaking only, classes in some of the region’s most common languages could be provided. Students could get training and internships that prepare them for service provider positions (thus also meeting the need for affordable non-sports extracurricular enrichment activities). Additionally, partnerships could be formed with a number of entities to build a workforce that has the knowledge and skills to serve the diverse residents of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton. This could include engagement and support of regional occupational programs, trade schools, training centers, certificate programs, and local colleges and universities. For example, building a relationship with Las Positas College, which hosts the Tri-Valley Career Center, could help identify steps to move this recommendation forward. Finally, as housing remains a significant challenge for service providers, we recommend that the feasibility of constructing dedicated housing units for essential workers be explored. Actionable Recommendation 5: Consider Multi-Sector Service and Infrastructure Solutions As has been highlighted across the entirety of this report, no single challenge identified through this process exists outside structural factors, nor are they separate from one another. Rather the most intractable challenges that the region faces are deeply intertwined. One service provider reflected on how individuals most at risk experience multiple compounding challenges: “I work with a population that uses the ER for primary care; mostly patients who have substance use disorders, serious mental illness, and chronic conditions.” Across the findings, three primary challenges surfaced, often in relationship to each other: 1) housing; 2) substance use; and 3) mental health. This finding is substantiated by the 2022 Tri-Valley PIT Count, which found that substance use (19%) and mental health (18%) were among the top three causes of being unhoused, and mental health services at 30% was the top response for what might have prevented becoming unhoused.13 HOUSING Housing was most often recommended as an intervention that would have the greatest effect on substance use and mental health, and more generally to provide stability in the life of individuals and EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS ASSESSMENTSS Page 138 of 554