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Westchester, Explained 28: Inside Westchester’s Boundary Spanner Program · This Week in Westchester: The Podcast

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_03: Hi, Westchester.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_03: I'm Westchester County Government Communications Director Katherine Chaffee.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_03: And as an extension of This Week in Westchester, the podcast, we welcome you to Westchester Explained.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_03: In this episode, we take a closer look at one of Westchester County's most innovative efforts to support residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have fallen through the cracks of the service system and why it matters to all Westchester residents.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_03: We sit down with members of the Department of Community Mental Health to discuss the county's unique boundary spanner program, which connects individuals experiencing homelessness, hospitalization, incarceration, and other crises with services, benefits, and long-term support they need to rebuild their lives.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_03: Join us as we explore how this first of its kind initiative is transforming lives as it helps navigate complex systems, removes barriers to care, and creates opportunities for people to achieve greater stability, independence, and hope for the future.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_03: Because this is Westchester Explained.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_03: So let's begin.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna let you guys introduce yourselves.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_03: Michelle, give us your full name and uh title here.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Michelle Armistro, I'm the program coordinator of the Developmental Disabilities Services for the Department of Community Mental Health.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, terrific.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: And Linda, thank you, Catherine, for having us here.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: We're happy to be here.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um my name is Linda Martinez Alcaraz.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_02: I'm the case manager for the Department of Community Mental Health Developmental Disabilities Unit.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, and we also have one very special guest who's been on the podcast before.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Joe Glazer, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Community Mental Health.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: And thank you for having us with you.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_03: We're so happy to have you here.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_03: So we're here today to talk about the boundary spanner program.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_03: Can you what is that?
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_03: That's a very interesting name for a really unique program.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_03: What is it?
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think that the case manager boundary spanner position came out of a survey that Deputy Commissioner Glazer and I did a couple of years back, and we identified about 125 plus individuals who were living in homeless shelters in the jail or in you know different places.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: They were had either disconnected from services or never connected to services such as the New York State Department, uh New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: And we didn't have someone out in the community to be able to connect with them and hand-hold and do all the work that's, you know, it's a very complicated system to access the services.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: So Joe and I, you know, the vision that we had for the position was to bring on a case manager to be able to do that type of work.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: We missed a number of opportunities because we didn't have that person out in the community that we, you know, we discussed and we said that we really wanted not to miss those opportunities anymore.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: So about a year ago, we were able to, thanks to um County Executive Um Jenkins and the Board of Legislators and Deputy Commissioner Glazer, Commissioner Orth, um, and actually from OPW, you know, OPWDD, we were able to hire um Linda to come on and and provide those services and supports out in the community where the individuals were living.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_03: And so you said it was 157 people with developmental disabilities that have ended up in the system in one way or another.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_03: Um how does something like that happen?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: I would I think many people would assume that there are safety nets for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think that some individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, you know, they fall through the cracks easily because they don't appear to have, some don't appear to have a a disability unless you're spending, you know, some time with them, talking with them.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um they're maybe they're in and out of shelters, maybe their home life is not you know given to the, you know, and then you might have family the family members may also have developmental disabilities that are not I you know haven't been identified either.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, through Linda's work, she's she's actually identified a family such like that.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um so they often fall through the cracks.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: They're sometimes quiet, sometimes they don't, you know.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: And they don't know who to reach out to.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, they don't know the services out that are out there in the community.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_02: And so it's hard for them to really um do the first step, you know, advocating for themselves.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: And that's why it's so important that, you know, our department, they they we created this role or right, Joseph Um Deputy Commissioner Glazer and and program coordinator Michelle Armisto, you know, they worked hard to have this role um exist, and and I'm happy to to be part of it.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: So take you back to the just to clarify on your point, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the state agency, it's one of the departments that the state basically runs itself.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's not like the mental health programs and the substance use programs that really generally work in conjunction with the county.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: OPWDD is pretty much a stratified state agency where all of the services are connected to it.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: So when you're talking about people who are disconnected, they're people who are served.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: In a state system with local services that are available, but it's not like the other things that we often talk about where we have specific groups through the county providing services in specific areas.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: So it's a little bit more detached, and therefore when the system is more detached, the people become more easily detached.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_03: Trevor Burrus, Jr.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_03: Sure, that makes sense.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_03: And how are you able to identify these people?
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think that Linda has, you know, we've connected with the sh the shelter system.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: We've, you know, we've gone out, Linda's been to a number of the shelters.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: We've met with the homeless assessment center, we've met with people at the jail, we've talked to people at adult.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_03: Are there records identifying them?
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: You want to talk um sometimes yes, and sometimes no.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you a developmental disability, you know, as per OPWDD, the individual has to become um disabled prior to the age of 22.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, these are people identified as disabled.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: But if they don't have the documentation of a developmental disability prior to the age of 22, Linda has been going out to the school districts, to the early intervention, to she's playing like a detective trying to get because a lot of these individuals, they're not carrying around those documents with them.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and I would love to explain um exactly what it is that I do.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, please do, just so the audience, the listeners can understand a bit more.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so, you know, I provide the short-term case management services with these intellectual and develop or developmental disability that are dealing with high crisis situations.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, like Michelle said, many of them have fallen through the cracks during the hardest moment in their lives.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_02: And so um, whether that's through um homelessness or incarceration or hospitalization, and my role really is to help them to um obtain the services that they are entitled to and really help them rebuild their lives.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so, you know, when I go out in the community, I meet with them where they are, whether that's at the shelter, at their home, at a public library, really anywhere where they feel feel comfortable.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: And so I'm as I'm connecting with them, I'm building a relationship, a connection with them so they can trust me.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I explain to them the process to apply for these services like OPWDD or any other local county resource.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_02: And on top of um helping them and explaining the process and helping them apply, I also provide the transportation.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: And so I pick them up, I take them to their appointments.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_03: You're you're physically picking them up.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: Wow.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and you know, I make it a priority to go with them because for many of them, it's been a first time first time in a very long time that they're in, you know, um in that environment, at a clinic, meeting with a professional.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_02: In this episode, we take a closer look at one of Westchester County.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_03: Who have fallen through the cracks of the service system helping these matters to all Westchester residents necessities with members of the Department of Community Mental Health to discuss the county's unique boundary standard benefits which connects individuals experiencing homelessness, incarceration and other crises with benefits and long-term support to the clean to redevelop their lives.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_03: Join us as well how dispersed kind of initiative that they're transforming.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_03: It creates opportunities for people to achieve the greater stability.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: In talking to some of the individuals we found through the survey, we also found that if they had heard about OPWDD, maybe somebody made them an appointment in previous years for the evaluations needed.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: But you could make an appointment for someone, but they have to get there.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: They have to go.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes it's multiple times.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes they need help reading the documents, filling out forms.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: It's just they need that hand holding that just wasn't there.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: That was like the missing piece to get them to those appointments to make sure they got and then to have all the documents submitted.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_03: Well, so that's what I wanted to ask.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, you mentioned the hand holding, um, which is a term because we are a compassionate society.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_03: I don't mean it in a negative way at all.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_03: But um why generally, in what you've seen, why is it so difficult for this population to stay on top of the services they need or to access these services?
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, every individual is different.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, they might have their own reason um and they might have their own challenges.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and so, you know, a lot of these individuals, they grew up in an unhealthy household, um, were raised by a single parent that was dealing with a mental health issue themselves or substance abuse issue.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_02: And so they never got the proper um diagnosis or treatment or medical care at a young age.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, as they grow up, um, they never receive that that proper circle of support or care.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_02: And so they really just don't know what is out there and and who to reach.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: They also may have cognitive deficits and traveling is challenging.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: If they've never taken the public bus or they've never traveled on independently, it's a big county, yeah.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: You you can tell them you need to go to this address, this date, this time, and they'll sometimes shake and say, Yes, okay.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: But they have no clue how to do that.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: So the when we say handhold, you know, that's where people would get lost.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: We would lose folks um because they never made it to those appointments.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: And and there's another piece though here, Catherine, and some of it to answer your question, but some of it is systemic because the OPWDD system has changed.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_01: OPWDD moved from a model of case management, which is literally individualized case manager having your case to care managed, to care coordination, which means somebody is making sure that your your package of services meets your needs.
• 12:34
  unknown: Uh-huh.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: But it doesn't have that same level of individualized commitment to getting you the support you need to fulfill that package.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_01: So that's part of that.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: The other side of it is that about 15 years ago, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities shut down most, if not all, of the developmental centers across the state, which was basically statement on residential programming for some of the people with the highest need and most complex needs, and we turn them to the community.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: So we have a system that provides less case management serving a higher needs population than we had 15 years ago.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: So part of the reason that you find people in the community whose needs are not being met well is because the system has changed and no longer meets their needs the way it did 15 years ago.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_03: And and overall, I mean, yes, the system has changed and it's not meeting the needs the way it did.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_03: But the system in general, the greater system, is difficult to navigate, which I mean, for for for anybody, it is it is cumbersome to certain to a certain degree.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm just curious though, why is this program housed in the Department of Community Mental Health and not in another county department?
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: Aaron Powell Well, it's in our department because DCMH really has primary responsibility for all of the mental hygiene offices.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: So it would be Office of Mental Health, Office of Addiction Services and Supports.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: We, before I got here, we had a very large IDD team in DCMH working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: But about the time that the system changed, many of our folks were the ones who were really handling that intensive case management.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_01: So when they they did away with it, we have a small pool of funding left.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: Part of the basis for the position Linda's in was that that money had sat there for years and we hadn't figured out how to use that funding because the off the OPWDD requires a 50 percent commitment and funding from the local government to spend the money they've awarded us.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: So thanks to the county executive and thank to the thanks to the Board of Legislators, they came up with the other half of the money so that we could create this position.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's been a very effective use of our tax dollars and OPW.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, absolutely.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_03: So and I'm just curious, out of, I mean, obviously this is N D CMH, what other county agencies are you working with to get these people the services that they need and the help they need?
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: We're working, uh we work very closely with the Department of Social Services.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: We've worked closely with uh adult protective services.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um behavioral health clinics, um, and just really any community uh partner provider.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um Linda's been in the jail to see clients.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: She's been in the shelters to see clients.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_03: Wow.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_03: Linda, you're doing amazing work.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_03: Um and I'm sure in that work, you know, while I'm sure it is very challenging at times, it sounds like you have had some great successes, including moving two people out of home shelter.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_02: So um well, not yet.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'm still working with them, but with those individuals, taking great strides to get there.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, that is the main goal, and we hope to get there.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um But I've um in less than a year, I've connected or visited a majority of the local shelters, which include um single placement shelters, family shelters, and drop-in shelters.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_02: And I've connected with the um case managers, the directors there to explain my role, what I do.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_02: So that way when there's an individual there with you know an IDD, um, they can reach out to me and and I can start from there and meet with these individuals.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so what are some wins that you've had?
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: So currently I am working with 16 individuals.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_02: About half of them are in the shelter system.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um and most of those individuals, they've either never heard of OPWDD, so they never applied, or they have heard about it in the past, but again, didn't know how to apply or where to start.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and so far uh we've submitted five applications to the system of care OPWDD, and two individuals have been determined eligible, and the three, the three remaining are pending.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we're really happy about this.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_02: This is amazing news.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, this really gives them an opportunity to, you know, go somewhere in life, start start a fresh um um start just you know, it gives them um a fresh start, a fresh start.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I think Joe mentioned it, but you know, OPWDD they offer a variety of services, um, specifically housing resources, day programs, um, recreational programs, supported employment.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: And so hopefully, you know, these two individuals um they can find a permanent um housing.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Linda's but Linda's being humble because I she she's she worked with two individuals who were previously in home in the homeless shelter, had placement in um apartments in Westchester, and when Linda came on, we found out that both of them were being evicted from their apartment for one reason or another.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so to help to avoid them from becoming homeless again, Linda did amazing work.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: She worked with the Department of Social Services to help to secure security deposits for new apartments.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: Worked with OPWDD to get them to fund um housing subsidies for these individuals so that once Linda found them new, she found them new apartments as well.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: It stuck a while, but you know, and once they were, you know, moved into these new apartments, we knew that the funding was in place for them to not have to worry about becoming homeless because they had the subsidy, they had some assistance from Department of Social Services.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: Those are huge successes.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and just to add, um, really watching them um transition from uncertainty to stability reminds us why this role is so important and why it matters.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_03: And even, I mean, how is your personal relationship with these individuals?
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_03: Like it must be, I mean, it's very rewarding for you, I'm sure, but for them, I mean, you must just they must just, you know, be so grateful that you've come into their lives.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_02: You know, sometimes I think they still don't understand what I do or how I can help them.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_02: But like I said, I I meet them where they are, and so I build that connection, that trust.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, I it's funny.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um every individual has their own personality.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I might meet meet them and see them, and they might be kind of not interested in speaking to me, but then, you know, once I get their interest, they'll give me more information.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_02: And so it's been interesting working with them, and I actually feel very honored too, because they've taught me a lot about um not only them, but about you know, the community.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so I think you provide them some hope of of real stability and you know, services that they could certainly benefit from.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, housing security and supports, ongoing supports.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: And even though it's a short term, we do with the then we do a handoff to a longer-term care management supports.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you're only with them for a period of time.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: Right, until um they're settled.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: But I make sure to stay on until I know for sure that they are second.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_02: I'm just curious, is your background in social work?
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_02: So I graduated with a bachelor's in psychology.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_02: And then as soon as I graduated, I um worked for early intervention for some time.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: And that really is where my passion for working with individuals and families with disabilities started.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_02: And then from there I, you know, did it worked with the community, yeah, and now here.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_03: Early intervention is another really wonderful program.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and it's interesting because, you know, early, I think early intervention maybe touches more people in the county, but a program like this, um, I mean, it's relatively new, but it's also, I don't think if people realize that their tax dollars were going to support work like this, I think they would feel very differently about paying their taxes.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_03: It's money certainly very well spent.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, looking ahead, what is the goal of this program?
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I think um we have many goals.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, the first one being that, you know, after being here today and being part of this podcast, I really hope that this um podcast can spread awareness to um other community providers and individuals and families that I haven't connected with before, so that you know they can connect with me and that they know that there is someone here that can help.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_03: Um and also So let's pause on that for a second because if somebody's listening to this and they know somebody or related to somebody or are are that individual, what should they do?
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_03: They want to connect with you, they want to connect somebody with you.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_03: What do they do?
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_02: So they can um reach uh Department of Community Mental Health and the receptionist will transfer the call to me.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um what's the number?
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_02: My phone number is 914-995-4064.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: Perfect.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_03: Now we have it's important to just give the number so people know exactly they could act right away.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_03: Sure.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um so so I'm sorry, continue, I interrupted you.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_03: So they they hear this, they should reach out to you.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_03: What else?
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_02: Anything else should they do?
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um, because this is such a unique position and we really are only seeing it here in Westchester County, it would be um amazing to see it replicated, you know, elsewhere um in other counties, uh, you know, in the state.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_02: And so, you know, I would like to see for for that to happen.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but my main and most important goal really is for the individuals that I meet that I work with to um reach their life goals and their dreams and desires because just like you and I, they have many.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_02: And of course, yeah after working with them, or you know, since I'm since I am working with them, I really like to would like to mention that they are capable.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: They are capable to succeed.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, they just need to be given the opportunity to do so and they support the right support and they can really accomplish a lot more than um we all think.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_03: Absolutely.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_03: And and they're part of our county and they're part of our community, and we're we're happy they are here and we want them to succeed.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's important to island also.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_02: And um the last thing that I would like to mention is I really would like to appreciate uh Westchester County Executive, Ken Jenkins, um, Board of Legislators, OPWDD, um, Commissioner Orth, and Deputy Commissioner Glazer, and of course, um my supervisor, program coordinator Michelle Armisto, for giving me this opportunity to be a voice for those individuals that either can't or don't know how to advocate for themselves.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah and really being part of this life-changing movement.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, this really is a life-changing special, and yeah.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_03: It really is, it really is.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: And as you know, not everybody's cut out for this work.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_01: And Melinda is just such a perfect fit for this role.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's been wonderful to have her here doing this.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I mean, I will tell you that I'm in awe of the work that you are doing.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_03: I really am, you know, I'll speak for the entire county and just say thank you for what you're doing.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_03: And um, and to your point, I mean, these these are individuals with hopes and dreams, and they want many of the same things that we all do.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_03: And and I'm so grateful that you're giving them this step in the right direction, this opportunity to make it happen.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: This was a team effort.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_02: So it just wasn't myself.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_02: It's all of us here.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and we're happy that you know we're making this change for these individuals.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, absolutely.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_03: Well, thank you so much for being with us today.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you for joining us.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.