TO EMAIL the CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS: SEE THIS LINK: http://www.dallascityhall.com/government/council/contact_mcc.html
Mental Health Monday Week of April 23, 2012
Please contact your member of the Dallas City Council and Mayor Rawlings in favor of the Boarding Home Regulation Ordinance BEFORE or BY MONDAY APRIL 30!!!
The Dallas City Council Housing Committee is currently considering an ordinance that would regulate boarding homes located within its city limits. This much-needed reform will help to eradicate the deplorable conditions in what often is the only housing option for low-income people with mental illness. The vote may occur as early as Monday, April 30, so it is imperative that you advocate this week!
Available from MHA OR NTSPP are sample letters to Mayor Rawlings and each Council Member. All you have to do is to put your name, address, and the date at the top of each letter, then scroll down and sign your name at the bottom, put it in an envelope, stamp it and mail it. All of them have the same address, so that makes it easy!
Below are additional facts that may help you in composing your own letter, if you choose. Even if you just send a postcard that says “I support the boarding home regulation ordinance”, it will do a world of good. Just remember to sign you name, and include your address.
Also, please forward this message on to your network of advocates, friends, neighbors and colleagues. We need to push very hard for this in order to win.
If you do not reside in Dallas, please write in your capacity as a mental health professional, advocate (patient or family member for example), or stakeholder.
The Members of the Dallas City Council are:
Mayor Mike Rawlings
Councilwoman Delia Jasso—District 1
Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano—District 2
Councilman Scott Griggs—District 3
Councilman Dwaine R. Caraway—District 4
Councilwoman Vonciel Jones Hill—District 5
Councilwoman Monica R. Alonzo—District 6
Councilwoman Carolyn R. Davis—District 7
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins—District 8
Councilman Sheffie Kadane—District 9
Councilman Jerry R. Allen—District 10
Councilwoman Linda Koop—District 11
Councilwoman Sandy Greyson—District 12
Councilwoman Ann Margolin—District 13
Councilwoman Angela Hunt—District 14
Boarding Home Facts
Prevalence of Boarding Homes
· According to the Dallas Morning News, approximately 2500 people who are aged, disabled or who have mental illnesses reside in boarding homes in Dallas.
· According to the City of Dallas, there are over 300 unlicensed boarding homes in the city.
· Although some boarding homes are clean, safe, and decent places to live that promote the recovery of their residents, many boarding homes are unsafe, unsanitary and impede recovery.
· Poorly run boarding homes are responsible for hundreds of police and paramedic calls each year.
· Poorly run boarding homes are a blight on the neighborhoods in which they are located.
Implement the State Model Standards authorized in House Bill 216
In 2009, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 216, which is now known as Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 254. This law does the following:
· Defines a boarding home facility as “an establishment that
o furnishes, in one or more buildings, lodging to three or more persons with disabilities, or elderly person who are unrelated to the owner of the establishment by blood or marriage and
o provides community meals, light housework, meal preparation, transportation, grocery shopping, money management, laundry services or assistance with self-administration of medication but does not provide personal care services to those persons.
· Model Standards developed by Texas Health and Human Services Commission including:
o Construction/Remodeling (plumbing, heating, lighting, ventilation, fire hazards, etc.)
o Sanitary and Related Conditions (insect and rodent control, water supply, sewage disposal, food handling, general hygiene, etc.)
o Reporting and Investigation of Injuries, Incidents and Unusual Accidents and the Establishment of Other Policies and Procedures to Ensure Resident Health and Safety
o Assistance with Self-Administration of Medication
o In-Service Education of Facility’s Staff
o Criminal Background History of Facility’s Staff
o Periodic assessment of residents
· Local Governments (counties or municipalities) authorized to regulate boarding home facilities within their jurisdictions and to establish:
o Inspection Procedures
o Permit Procedures (issuance, denial, renewal, suspension and revocation)
o Fees
o Fines
o Posting Requirements (permit, most recent inspection, telephone number to report violations)
Prevalence of Mental Illness
· Mental illnesses are common. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, 1 in 17 adults suffer from a severe and persistent mental illness such as bi-polar disorder, major depression, or schizophrenia.
· The good news is that mental illness is treatable, that treatment works, and recovery is possible.
· Recovery is more likely when the individual has a stable living environment.
For additional information, please contact Janie Metzinger, Public Policy Director, Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
JMetzinger@mhadallas.org, (214) 871-2420, Ext. 114, or 624 N. Good-Latimer, #200, Dallas, Texas 75204
