[Virtual HOPE Summit: Restoring Hope to Returning Citizens ]
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HEADS AND BY BOW YOUR HEARTS AS WE GO BEFORE THE THRONE OF OUR MIGHTY GOD.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOUR THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY THIS MORNING, LORD, WE COME AS SERVANT LEADERS, LORD, THANKING YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, LORD, TO SERVE YOU BY SERVING YOUR PEOPLE.
LORD, I ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THIS CONFERENCE TODAY, I ASK THAT YOU WILL GIVE THE SPEAKER'S WISDOM BEYOND ANY WISDOM THAT MAN COULD GIVE THEM.
LORD, I PRAY THAT AS THOSE WHO ARE JOINING IN, VIRTUALLY LORD WILL BE TOUCHED AND MOVED.
LORD, TO HELP US LORD HELP YOUR PEOPLE.
LORD, WE WANT TO BE LEADERS, LORD, WHO ARE ACTION, WHO ARE ABOUT HELPING THOSE WHO ARE RETURNING TO OUR COMMUNITIES, HAVING A REAL OPPORTUNITY AND A REAL CHANCE TO BE PRODUCTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO LORD, I THANK YOU, LORD, FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP THEIR TIME, WHO HAS GIVEN UP THEIR TALENTS TODAY, WHO ARE COMING LORD TO IMPART HOPE, TO LET YOUR PEOPLE KNOW, LORD, THAT EACH ONE OF US CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
LET SOMEONE BE INSPIRED TO JOIN IN THIS FIGHT, TO JOIN IN THIS CAUSE.
OH, GOD, LORD HOPE IS SOMETHING THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, WE HAVE NOTHING.
I THANK YOU LORD, FOR THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE.
LORD, I THANK YOU LORD, FOR EVERY SESSION TODAY.
LORD WOULD NOT ONLY IMPART HOPE, BUT WILL IMPART WISDOM AND WILL IMPART SOLUTIONS.
LORD, SO WE THANK YOU LORD, AND WE X LORD AS WE PROCEED WITH THIS VIRTUAL SUMMIT LORD, THAT YOU WILL GO IN LORD, AND THAT YOU WILL CAUSE ALL OF OUR TECH TECHNICAL.
THERE WILL BE NO TECHNICAL ISSUES, LORD, THAT EVERYTHING WILL GO ACCORDING
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TO PLAN, AND THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AND SAY IN WORD AND DEED WILL BE TO THE PRAISE OF YOUR GLORY.IT IS IN CHRIST'S NAME, I PRAY AMEN.
MY NAME IS JOE SEABROOKS, AND I PROUDLY SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CEDAR VALLEY CAMPUS OF THE NEWLY TRANSFORMED DALLAS COLLEGE.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE ON BEHALF OF CHANCELLOR MAY WHO REGRETS NOT HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU TODAY TO WELCOME YOU ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE DALLAS COLLEGE NETWORK.
WE ARE THRILLED TO BE HOSTING OR CO-HOST OR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S ACTIVITIES.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS TO A HIGH QUALITY LIFE.
AND WHAT WE DID EIGHT MONTHS AGO WITH THE INITIAL HOPE SUMMIT WAS REALLY TO LAY THE FRAMEWORK FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO NEED A SECOND CHANCE TO INFUSE HOPE INTO THEIR LIFE AND TO THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND SO, AGAIN, WE'RE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE DAY'S EVENTS, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE A MAGNIFICENT TIME.
AND WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE ONE AND ONLY THE AMAZING, THE INCREDIBLE, THE PHENOMENAL REPRESENTATIVE CARL SHERMAN.
DR. SEABROOKS I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE GETTING READY TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE ELSE, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT IS HERE AND WE ARE HERE FOR A VERY GOOD REASON.
AND AS WE'VE ASSEMBLED HERE IN MY DISTRICT OFFICE, I'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT FRIENDS THAT ARE HERE WITH US PHYSICALLY.
CANDACE FLEMING AND ROBERT ALBERT, CHARLES ROBERTS OR CHARLIE ROBERTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I GOT THAT MIXED UP, BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THEM AND THEIR STORIES, STORIES ABOUT WILLY AND ABOUT CHAZ AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO EMBODY THE HOPE THAT GOD, OUR FATHER AND CREATOR HAS AS WE GO INTO THIS SECOND ANNUAL HOPE SESSION.
HOW IRONIC THAT THE SECOND ANNUAL HOPE SUMMIT WOULD HAPPEN AND THE SAME YEAR THAT THE FIRST ANNUAL HOPE SUMMIT HAPPENED, THEN THAT'S BECAUSE WE JUST COULD NOT ALLOW THIS YEAR TO END WITHOUT US EXEMPLIFYING THAT THAT IT'S BEEN GIVEN TO US TODAY.
I'M HONORED TO HAVE SOME GREAT PARTNERS WITH US.
WE'VE GOT OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS SECURE US FOUNDATION.
DON MAN CEO OUR DON FREEMAN, CEO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR STEADFAST CONTRIBUTIONS AND STAUNCH SUPPORT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING FOR OUR RETURNING CITIZENS AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE RESIDENTS IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM.
ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR BRONZE SPONSORS, MR. TODD WILLIAMS OF COMMIT AND DALLAS LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WITHOUT YOU, ALL THIS COULD NOT HAPPEN.
AND MANY OTHER SPONSORS THAT HAVE WORKED TO BRING THIS ABOUT.
NOW FOLKS THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DEPENDING ON US, DEPENDING ON US TO PROVIDE HOPE.
HOPE THE ACRONYM THAT WE USE FOR THIS IS HELPING OTHER PEOPLE EXCEED OR EXCEL, HELPING OTHER PEOPLE EXCEL.
AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PSEUDO HOPE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GENUINE HOPE, HOPE, REAL HOPE, REAL HOPE, RESPONSIBLE, ENGAGED AND ACCOUNTABLE LEADERS WORKING TO PROVIDE REAL HOPE TO PEOPLE THAT NEED IT SO MUCH.
BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS POPULATION OF PEOPLE, THEY ARE NOT ONLY OUR FELLOW CITIZENS, BUT THEY ARE OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS AND NOT EVERYONE.
IF YOU DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE IN THIS OPENING, I HOPE YOU HEAR THIS.
NOT EVERYONE THAT WE INCARCERATE IS GUILTY.
NOT EVERYONE THAT WE INCARCERATE IS DESERVING OF THE SENTENCES THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED.
AND I THINK THAT AS A COUNTRY, AS A NATION, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE IN OUR SYSTEM.
AS CHRISTINA CRAINE SAID TO ME EARLIER THIS YEAR, SHE USED TO THINK THAT PEOPLE THAT WENT INTO OUR PRISONS WERE DIFFERENT THAN US.
BUT AFTER BEING APPOINTED TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE TO HEAD OUR TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SHE LEARNED FIRSTHAND THAT THE PEOPLE WHO GO INTO PRISON ARE JUST LIKE YOU AND I.
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THEY ARE ONLY DIFFERENT AFTER WE RELEASED THEM.AND SO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO CHANGE THEIR LIVES, TO CHANGE THEIR TRAJECTORY, MUST CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE ACCEPTED THE CALL TO BE ON THIS BOARD.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SINCERELY.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT, FOR YOUR INTEREST IN DOING THIS, BECAUSE ALL OF YOU COULD BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE AND YOU ARE DOING MANY THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
TO CHRISTINA [INAUDIBLE] YOU'VE BEEN GIFTED WITH MANY YEARS TO THANK YOU FOR LEADING US IN THE NATIONAL ANTHEM THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR LEADING US IN PRAYER, YOUR WORDS TO GOD MEANS SO MUCH FOR THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND YOU ARE ONE WHO YOU CAN SHARE WITH US YOUR WISDOM AS YOU CAN SHARE AND PRAY FOR US ALL TO HAVE DISCERNING WISDOM.
OUR BECKON OF HOPE, WE'RE GOING TO GET TO YOU TO THE POINT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE MANY YEARS OF WORK IN THIS FIELD.
YOU DIDN'T JUST START YOU'RE NOT NOVICE AT THIS.
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU RIGHT NOW.
TO THE FAMILY OF REGINOLD, I WANT TO THANK YOU IN WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE FOLKS AT SUGARLAND UNDERSTAND THE BEGINNING OF OUR PRISON SYSTEM.
AS I COME TO A CLOSE, YOU KNOW, MY INTRODUCTION I WANT TO REMIND YOU WHY WE STARTED THIS.
WHEN I LOOK BACK OVER THE YEARS, INJUSTICE IN OUR CURRENT JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHEN I THINK OF ALL THE JEETERS OF THE WORLD, WHEN I THINK OF THE PRISON HALLS AND THOSE UNITS, I AM ALWAYS FULL OF DISAPPEAR WHEN I HEAR ABOUT INDIVIDUAL IS WALKING WITH ME SAYING TO THE INDIVIDUALS BEHIND BARS, HAVE YOU LEARNED YOUR LESSON.
HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT TO A PERSON? YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A RICHARD MILES, OR BEN SPENCER? WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO EXEMPLIFY HOPE.
WE ARE TO BE THE INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE.
SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE PART OF THIS.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN.
I'VE BEEN GIVEN A NOTE, I'M TRYING TO DECIPHER WHAT THE NOTE SAYS.
I KNOW I GOT THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING BRIAN.
AT THIS TIME, AT THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT VIDEO.
[VIDEO] THANK YOU FOR THIS STATE, LEADERSHIP, THEY SAY THAT THOSE WHO RETURN TO US OUR STILL OUR CITIZENS.
GOD, GIVE US WISDOM TODAY SO WE CAN APPLY AND KNOW FOR THOSE EXPERIENCES AND LIVE
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FOR US TO KNOW.>>: TODAY WE'RE PART OF SOMETHING HERE IN TEXAS.
>>: YOU AND I KNOW THIS CAN'T BE DONE WITHOUT GREAT PEOPLE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES.
>>: WHAT WOULD WE DO WITH OUR COMMUNITIES IF WE WERE NOT TRULY INTERESTED.
>>: THIS DOESN'T JUST INCLUDE THE PROSECUTORS AND THE POLICE AND DECISION.
IT'S WHO'S GOING TO BE ARRESTED AND FOR WHAT? HOW MUCH ARE THEY GOING TO SPEND TIME IN JAIL AND ARE NOT? THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM, ARE EITHER GOING TO BE DIVERTED OR PLACED IN SUPERVISION.
>>: WE CAN'T KEEP TALKING THE SAME [INDISCERNIBLE] I AM HONORED TO BE ON THIS PLATFORM, BUT WE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE WITH OUR CONVERSATION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PRISON REFORM AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
THINKING ABOUT PRISON REFORM OR SYSTEM, CRIME IS A COMMUNITY PROPERTY.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COMMUNITY SOLUTION.
IT'S TIME FOR THIS ROOM TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ARE YOU WITH ME? ARE YOU WITH ME? ARE YOU WITH ME?
>>: WE'RE BACK HERE IN THE STUDIO OF DISTRICT 109 THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO.
WHAT A PHENOMENAL INAUGURATION OF THE SUMMIT.
IN TEXAS ALL OF THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE IN DIVERSION AND JUDGE CRUSO WHEN YOU WERE A JUDGE.
THANK YOU FOR THE THOUGHTS AND HOW WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING AND EXPECT DIFFERENT OUTCOMES.
WE CAN TRANSFORM THE WAY WE DO THINGS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT INTRODUCING THE NEXT PERSON.
THEN HE WENT INTO THE RANKS OF ADMINISTRATION.
IN AUGUSTÂ 1ST, 2016, HE BECAME THE DIRECTOR NOW IN THE CURRENT POSITION.
HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR A 30Â MILLIONÂ'DOLLAR BUDGET, RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN 38,000 EMPLOYEES.
THEY DEPEND ON THE LEADERSHIP.
HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INCLUDING NOW THE 130,000 PLUS THAT ARE RESIDING IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM.
I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU TO CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR HIM.
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I KNOW ONE THING ABOUT BRIAN, WE WERE TOURING THE PRISON SYSTEM.I JUST HEARD HE'S ON THE PHONE.
I'M THINKING, I'M GOING TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.
WE HAVE 75 PRISON'S THAT'S DON'T HAVE AC.
HE'S GETTING ONE OF THEM FIXED.
HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO START TO DO HISÂ Â'Â' >>: [LAUGHTER] >>: TO THE 213 PEOPLE THAT ARE NOW CONNECTED WITH US, I HOPE YOU TELL OTHER PEOPLE TO GET CONNECTED WITH US RIGHT NOW SO THEY CAN BE UNSPARRED ABOUT OUR NEXT SPEAKER, BRIAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME BEFORE US.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS SECOND ANNUAL HOPE SUMMIT.
>>: THANK YOU REPRESENTATIVE CHAIRMAN AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
I'M GOING TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF TDC CHANGES.
I WANTED TO SPEND TIME OF TALKING ABOUT COVID AND COVIDS IMPACT IN THE SYSTEM AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND INTRODUCTION.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRAYERS THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATED AND NECESSARY.
FIRST THING, MOST PEOPLE THINK OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT AND YOU THINK OF THE PRISON SYSTEM.
THAT IS A KEY PIECE OF WHAT WE ARE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE OTHER CONNECTIONS.
WITHIN TDCJ WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADULT PRISON SYSTEM BUT WE PROVIDE ADULT PATROL SUPERVISION.
MOST OF THEM WORK WITH OFFENDERS.
WITHIN THE 1230 PROBATIONÂ Â'Â' AGAIN, TDCJ WE PROVIDE FUNDING, TRAINING.
WE ALSO OPERATE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PENALTY PUNISH FACILITIES.
THESE PERSON WILL SERVE SIX MONTHS.
AFTER BEING RELEASED THESE ARE GENERALLY PEOPLE THAT ARE PLACED IN PROBATION AFTER THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE PORTION OF THE SENTENCE.
AS YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION NUMBERS AND COVID HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN OUR POPULATION, IN A WAY THAT HAS LOWERED OUR POPULATION IN 20,000.
THESE 232,600 PEOPLE IN STATE JAIL RIGHT NOW.
STATE PRISONS, WE OPERATE THE STATE PRISON.
INDIVIDUAL WHO'S HAVE BEEN SENTENCED FROM TWO YEAR TO LIFE FOR HIGHER LEVEL OFFENSES.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE OPERATE.
WE ALSO TAKE TDCJ THE BOARD DEPARTMENT AND PAROLES UNIVERSITY TEXAS MEDICAL RANCH AS IS TEXAS TECH, THERE ARE ABOUT 30,000 PEOPLE THAT WORK WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND POPULATIONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT PAROLE SUPERVISION, THERE ARE 83,000 INDIVIDUALS UNDER SUPERVISION RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO REVOCATION.
ANOTHER 1856 ARE IN RESIDENTIAL HALFWAY HOUSES.
NEXT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS.
S WHEN I TALK ABOUT OUTSIDE THE AGENTS, IN TEXAS WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
IN TEXAS IF YOU COMPARE TO MANY STATES, YOU SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IN THE SYSTEM.
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WE HAVE A ROBUST REENTRY PROGRAM.TO TRY TO HELP PREPARE THEM THIS JUST SHOWS YOU SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS WE HAVE ORDERED THIS YEAR.
21,000 PLUS SOCIAL SECURITIES, BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE EVERYONE WALK OUT WITH THESE DOCUMENTS SO THEY CAN GET AN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY.
WE FOCUS SIGNIFICANTLY ON EMPLOYMENT.
YOU'RE REFERENCING SCREENS, BUT IF YOU CAN YOU SHARE THEM WITH US BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE IS NOT SEEING THEM.
>>: LET'S SEE WHAT IS GOING ON.
CAN YOU SEE THAT REPRESENTATIVE CHAIRMAN?
>>: I APOLOGIZE, I'M JUST SKIPPING THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND NOBODY CAN SEE IT.
CAN YOU SEE THE TENÂ'YEAR COMPARISON DECREASE SLIDE.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE DECREASED.
I'M ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE DECREASED IN THE SYSTEM.
BACK IN DECEMBER WE HAD A 110SO THE NUMBER HAS DECLINED.
THE POPULATION TODAY? COVID HAS IMPACTED OUR POPULATION.
OUR POPULATION RIGHT NOW IS 121,000.
OUR POPULATION PREÂ'COVID WAS 140,000.
IT WAS 56,000 PEOPLE IN PRISON.
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN STATE JAIL, IF YOU WENT BACK TO 200,010 WAS OVER 12,000.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THE RESULT OF COVID THAT NUMBER IS 2326.
ALSO, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN RESTRICTIVE HOUSES, WAS WELL OVER 9100.
WE'RE STILL TRYING TO WORK TO DECREASE THE NUMBER.
>> THE RECIDIVISM RATE WAS UNDER 20Â PERCENT.
ALSO PAROLE, THOSE NUMBERS WERE UNDER 7,000Â YEARS, 59 AND 32 PAROLE REVOCATIONS.
TECHNICAL REVOCATIONS HAS CONTINUED TO DECLINE SUBSTANTIALLY.
IF YOU LOOK THE OTHER WAY, FLIP THE COIN, THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHAT WAS GOING UP.
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FIRST WOULD BE THE AGEING POPULATION.THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE SYSTEM THAT ARE OVER 55 AND TIPPED TO INCREASE, NOT NECESSARILY AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THE SYSTEM NEW THAT WERE OVER 55, BUT MORE AS A RESULT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN THE SYSTEM AND HAVE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM, AGING UP IN THAT CATEGORY.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY 19,123 OVER THE AGE OF 55.
IF YOU WENT BACK TEN YEARS AGO, THAT NUMBER WAS 9,000.
IT CONTINUES TO DECLINE WITHIN OUR PRISON POPULATION.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS ABOUT Â'Â' 22Â PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION REFLECTS A MENTAL ILLNESS.
PRIOR TO COVID THAT WAS 27,000 OF OUR OFFENDER POPULATION.
TEN YEARS AGO THAT NUMBER WAS 22,000 OF OUR POPULATION TO GO.
THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE IN MENTAL ILLNESS AND DIAGNOSES WITH MENTAL ILLNESS HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.
VIOLENT OFFENDERS IN THE SYSTEM 62Â PERCENT.
THAT WAS 51Â PERCENT 10Â YEARS AGO.
WE HAVE MORE VIOLENT POPULATION IN OUR PRISON POPULATION, AND ALSO AS A RESULT OF MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAS BEEN SET IN PLACE AND THE WORK FROM THE BOARD, WE HAVE HIRED A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ON PATROL SUPERVISION.
THAT WAS 80,000 TENÂ YEARS AGO.
NEXT, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN AND AUDIENCE, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT COVID RESPONSE FROM TDCJ.
THE NUMBER ONE OPERATIONAL ISSUE WE DEALT WITH FOR THE MAJORITY OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR WITHIN TDCJ, WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT HAVE TESTED THE OFFENDER POPULATION.
260,000 TESTS ON INDIVIDUALS THAT DID NOT DISPLAY SYMPTOMS. WE HAVE PRODUCED A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
1.2Â MILLION COTTON MASKS AND OVER 90,000 FACE SHIELDS, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
WE ALSO PRODUCED OUR OWN SOAP AND BLEACH.
I WANTED TO A BACK A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.
AS WE STARTED, WE NEW THE PANDEMIC WAS COMING.
WE BEGAN TO EVALUATE OUR PLANS AND BEGAN DISINFECTING OUR FACILITIES AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, AS FAR AS PROTOCOLS.
WE ALSO STARTED WORKING ON THE INVENTORY ON THE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, BUT ALSO PURCHASED THE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE JAIL'S STANDARD'S COMMISSION.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THE SYSTEM WHO HAD COVIDÂ'19 AND HAD BEEN EXPOSED RECENTLY.
ON MARCHÂ 13TH, WE AT THAT TIME SUSPENDED VISITATION.
WE FOCUSSED ON COVIDÂ'19 PRETTY MUCH AROUND THE CLOCK AT THAT POINT.
WE PUT IN TRAVEL LIMITATIONS DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH.
WE PUT IN SOCIAL DISTANCE PARAMETERS AROUND OUR FACILITIES.
WE MEASURED HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WE COULD PUT IN OUR FACILITIES.
WE WENT THROUGH SCREENING PROTOCOLS, TEMPERATURE MONITORING OF STAFF COMING IN, INTAKE, OR ANY MOVEMENT WITHIN OUR OFFENDER POPULATION.
WE DID TEMPERATURE MONITORING BEFORE THEY ENTER AND LEAVE THE FACILITIES.
WE HAD OUR FIRST POSITIVE TEST IN THE SYSTEM.
THROUGHOUT MARCH EMPLOYEES TEMPERATURES WERE CHECKED, INCOMING OFFENDERS WERE BEING SCREENED, AND ANYONE SHOWING SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN TESTED BY OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS.
WE REQUESTED FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THE MEDICAL COÂ'PAY DEFERRED
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FOR ALL OFFENDERS.WE DIDN'T WANT ANY CONFUSION THAT REMAINED WAIVED AT THIS TIME.
THEY ALSO CREATED POLICY 14.52.
OUR CORONAVIRUS DECEASE WAS ADOPTED, BASED ON CDC GUIDANCE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
WE ALSO IDENTIFIED HOW WE CAN PURCHASE HAND SANITIZER.
AS WE MOVED THROUGH APRIL, WE SUSPENDED COUNTY JAIL INTAKE.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED IDENTIFY MORE AT RISK POPULATIONS.
THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE TESTING BECAME MORE AVAILABLE.
WE ALSO PROVIDE, AFTER WE MANUFACTURED COTTON MASKS, FOR THE STAFF.
THE OLDER OFFENDERS AND THE Â'Â' WE HAD A LOCKDOWN IF STAFF AND OFFENDERS WERE INFECTED.
IN THE MONTH OF APRIL WE HAD OUR FIRST SUSPECTED EMPLOYEE AND OFFENDER DEATH DUE TO COVIDÂ'19.
IN MAY WE INCREASED, THANKS TO THE WORK OF THE TEXAS DIVISION OF MANAGEMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO A SELL MORE OF THE TESTING KITS, WHICH ALLOW US TO TEST SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF OUR SYSTEM.
WE BEGAN TESTING IT IN 70Â UNITS AROUND THE SYSTEM THAT HOUSED ANYBODY THAT WE CONSIDERED TO BE VULNERABLE DUE TO AGE OR OTHER THINGS.
AS WE DID THAT, WE TESTED THOSE EMPLOYEES AND IDENTIFIED OBVIOUSLY THOSE THAT WAS POSITIVE, SEPARATING THEM FROM ANYONE WHO WAS NEGATIVE, ALSO LOOKING PRIMARILY AT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ASYMPTOMATIC.
IF WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS SYMPTOMS, THEY WERE TESTED.
75 TO 85Â PERCENT OF THE TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ASYMPTOMATIC, WHO WERE CARRYING THE VIRUS, AND CARRYING IT INTO THE SYSTEM.
WE DID EMPLOY TEMPERATURE CHECKS.
WE USED A VITAL OXIDE, A STABILIZED BLEACH SOLUTION, USING IT THROUGHOUT THE SEVERAL MONTHS, AS WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO IT, AS PART OF OUR DISINFECTING SOLUTION.
WE PROVIDE THAT FOR EVERYONE IN THE SYSTEM, TO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO WASH THEIR HANDS, AND WE CONTINUE WITH THEIR PROTOCOLS.
STAFF WEARING MASKS WAS IN PLACE SINCE BACK IN APRIL.
WE STARTED CLIENT ASSESSMENT TEAMS. WE FOLLOWING UP IF ALL OF OUR FACILITIES ARE FOLLOWING PROTOCOLS.
ARE WE DISINFECTING APPROPRIATELY? DO WE HAVE ADEQUATE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT ON HAND? ARE WE DOING TO THE TEMPERATURE CHECKS CORRECTLY? AND ARE ALL THE EQUIPMENT IN PLACE AT OUR FACILITIES? THOSE COMPLIANCE TEAMS ARE OUT EVERY WEEK, AND THEY ARE OUT UNANNOUNCED, AS WE COMPLETE.
SOCIAL DISTANCING IN PRISONS ARE OBVIOUSLY A CHALLENGE, BUT THROUGH MARKING INDICATORS, LOOKING AT HOW WE DO DINING HALLS, WE ARE DOING DINING HALL.
WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE UNITS WITH HOT MEALS, WHICH WAS KEY.
WE ALSO HAVE IDENTIFIED IN ANY COMMON AREA HOW MANY PEOPLE WE ALLOW IN THOSE AREAS.
WE CONTINUE TO KEEP SMALL NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS IN ANY SPEAKING AREA.
WE ALSO HAVE, AS WITH OFFENDER MOVEMENT, WE HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON INNER AGENCY
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TRANSFERS MOVING FROM UNIT TO UNIT.THIS HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITED THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT.
AS I INDICATED EARLIER, WE STOPPED INTAKE OF OFFENDERS BACK IN APRIL.
ANYONE SHOWING SIGNS ARE SEEN BY A PHYSICIAN.
OUR OFFENDER PROGRAMS HAS BEEN DEFINITELY A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION TOPIC WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE ENROLLED IN PROGRAMS DURING COVID.
WE MOVED TO ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DELIVERING THE PROGRAMMING.
PEOPLE THAT WERE VOTED TO GO INTO A PROGRAM BETWEEN THEÂ MONTHS OF APRIL AND BEGINNING OF JULY, WE DID NOT MOVE THEM TO THOSE PROGRAMS. SO WE HAD 2,000 INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE VOTED, BUT NOT PLACED IN A PROGRAM.
ALL OF THOSE HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN PLACED IN PROGRAMS, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THOSE ON A SCHEDULE TO MAKE UP SOME OF THE TIME THEY WEREN'T ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAMS. IF THEY WERE ALREADY IN A PROGRAM, WE MOVED TO AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO HELP THEM CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH AND CONTINUE TO GET THERE.
COMMUNICATION Â'Â' THIS WAS TO BE A KEY PORTION, EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
ONE INTERNALLY, WE POSTED VIDEO/AUDIO INFORMATION TO THE POPULATION ON HOW TO TAKE THE PROTOCOLS, AS THEY HAVE BEEN UNDATED WHAT THOSE PROTOCOLS ARE.
FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, USING SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEBSITE.
ANYONE CAN LOOK AT ANY TIME AND SEE THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE OFFENDERS AT THAT LOCATION, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES AT THAT LOCATION, AND LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, AS IT RELATES TO COVIDÂ'19.
WE RECENTLY BEGAN VIDEO VISITATION AT A SELECT NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT HAD VIDEO CAPABILITIES.
WE ALSO PILOTED A SMALL TABLET, A TAPED VIDEO OPTION THAT WOULD GIVE MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE VIDEO VISITATION, AND WE'RE DOING THOSE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
ONE OTHER STRATEGY WE WORKED WITH IS OUR CHAPLAIN DEPARTMENT.
WE WERE HAVING THEM RELAY MESSAGES TO THE FAMILIES, ON BEHALF OF FAMILIES AND VISITORS.
10,000 CALLS WERE MADE BY OUR CHAPLAINS TO LOVED ONES.
WE'RE ALSO, I BELIEVE, BY WEEKLY CALLS WITH FAMILY ADVOCACY GROUPS, WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEM UPDATES, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT Â'Â' THROUGHOUT THE EVENT OF COVID.
AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, OUR OFFENDER POPULATION HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE DIDN'T TAKE ANYONE BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF APRIL THROUGH JULY.
BUT ALSO, WE RELEASED THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, WE HAD TO MODIFY THE WAY WE DID IT.
IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MANY LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH COVID THAT WILL STICK AROUND.
A LOT OF WHAT WE LEARNED THROUGHOUT COVID ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO OUR BUSINESS, SOME OF WHICH PROVED TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
RELEASING PEOPLE FROM THEIR UNIT OF ASSIGNMENT WILL LIKELY CONTINUE.
WE GAVE MASKS AND A PACKET OF INFORMATION SO THAT THEY KNEW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
IN OUR COMMUNITY, SUPERVISION FOR PROBATION AND PAROLE Â'Â' WE HAD TO IDENTIFY A NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
WE HAD TO BECOME A FIELD MODEL, AS OPPOSED TO AN OFFICE MODEL.
BE IT TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DISTRICT PAROLE OFFICE VISITS.
WE MODIFIED OUR TREATMENT CLASSES.
SOME OF THOSE ARE BY ZOOM AND/OR OTHER OPTIONS, AND WE BEGAN WORKING WITH PROBATION AND PAROLE TO MODIFY ALL THE PROCEDURES ON HOW THEY DO DAYÂ'TOÂ'DAY SUPERVISION.
WE WORKED ON Â'Â' WE TESTED THE COVID TESTING IN MANY COUNTY JAILS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS ON THE BEHALF TDCJ.
WE BEGAN INTAKE IN OUR COUNTY JAILS SINCE JULY.
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AS WE SCREEN THOSE WITH THE COUNTY JAILS Â'Â' BEFORE WE RECEIVE THEM, WE BRING THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN AND QUARANTINE THEM FOR 14 DAYS TOGETHER.THAT PROCESS HAS WORKED WELL FOR US DURING THE INTAKE EVENT.
WE'RE INTAKING SEVERAL HUNDRED A WEEK.
THE COUNTY JAILS WILL BE COMPLETELY GONE BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, IF NOT SOONER.
AS TDCJ LOOKS AHEAD, WE'RE BE CONTINUING TO DO MORE TESTING.
IN TEXAS WE HAVE A LARGE POPULATION, BUT WE'VE ALSO DONE MORE TESTING THAN ANYONE IN THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING A NURSING HOME MODEL THAT WE HAD IN PLACE SINCE JULY WHERE FOUR OF OUR Â'Â' FOUR FACILITIES WITH THE MOST AGING AND GERIATRIC POPULATIONS, WE TEST THEM EVERY WEEK UNTIL THE POPULATION REFLECTS NO POSITIVES, AND THEN WE SWITCH TO EMPLOYEES ONLY.
IF WE GET A POSITIVE, WE RETURN THEM BACK TO THE UNIT AND HELP IDENTIFY THAT.
AND THAT HAS HELPED US IDENTIFY UNITS WHO WILL ESSENTIALLY CLEAN, AND DO NOT HAVE COVID IN A UNIT.
WE HAVE DONE RANDOM TESTING WITH HEALTH CARE DIVISION AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
WE IDENTIFIED A RANDOM MODELLING PATTERN, AND WE'RE RANDOMLY TESTED THOSE INDIVIDUALS ON A RANDOM BASIS.
OUR ASYMPTOMATIC TESTING HAS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT.
AS THE COMMUNITY INCREASES WITH COVID, FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT CALMED DOWN, WE ARE TESTING EMPLOYEES AT THOSE LOCATIONS TO IDENTIFY ANY COVID POSITIVES, WHO ARE EMPLOYEES.
IF WE FIND EMPLOYEE POSITIVES, THEN WE WILL BE GOING INTO THE UNITS AS WELL.
IF WE SEE HIGHER NUMBERS OF SYSTEMIC POSITIVES, WE WILL TEST THOSE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
THEY HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB.
AND THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK IN THIS AGENCY HAS TRULY BEEN HEROS THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT.
MANY OF THEM ARE ENTERING INTO AN ENVIRONMENT THEY KNOW THE VIRUS MIGHT BE THERE, AND MANY TIMES IT IS THERE, AND WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT ISSUES IN THE FACILITIES, BUT THEY STILL COME TO WORK AND HELP WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, AND HAVE BEEN TRUE HEROS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.
REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN, THOSE ARE MY SLIDES.
IF THERE IS TIME FOR QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER ANY [INDISCERNIBLE].
>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
DAWN, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN QUESTIONS THAT YOU COULD SUBMIT TO DIRECTOR COLLIER?
>> IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THEY CAN SUBMIT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WE ADDRESS THEM AFTER THIS SUMMIT.
ARE THERE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE FOR US, AND BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT, I DID HAVE A QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR YOU THAT, LIKE, IF YOU WILL ADDRESS BEFORE THAT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GAVE DALLAS COUNTY IN PROVIDING PPE'S TO OUR LOCAL SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT EARLY ON IN MARCH.
MARCH OR APRIL FOR PPE FOR OUR DALLAS COUNTY JAILS.
NOW, AS IT RELATES TO THE QUESTION, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PRISON POPULATION
[00:50:03]
NOW AND WHAT IT WAS TEN YEARS AGO.PRIOR TO COVID, WHAT WAS THE PRISON POPULATION.
SO NOT GOING BACK TEN YEARS, BUT JUST JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
WHAT WAS THE PRISON POPULATION? AND I DO UNDERSTAND WE WERE ALREADY SLATED, AM I CORRECT, TO CLOSE TWO OF OUR PRISONS, AND THEN WE PUT IT ON AT THE PRIVATE FACILITIES, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT A 101 PRISONS TODAY.
IF YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT THE IMPACT OF COVID, AND WHAT THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN.
>>: I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT YOU GAVE DALLAS COUNTY IN PROVIDING PPE'S IN THE SHARE IN THE DEPARTMENT EARLY ON IN MARCH.
I BELIEVE IT WAS MARCH OR APRIL FOR PPE FOR OUR DALLAS COUNTY JAILS.
NOW, AS IT RELATES TO QUESTIONS, YOU WERE TALKING THE PRISON POPULATION NOW AND WHAT IT WAS TENÂ'YEARS AGO.
PRIOR TO COVID, WHAT WAS THE PRISON POPULATION, NOT GOING BACK TENÂ'YEARS, BUT JUST JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
WHAT WAS THE PRISON POPULATION AND I DO UNDERSTAND WE WERE ALREADY SLATED IF I'M CORRECT TO CLOSE TWO OF OUR PRISONS, AND WE PUT ON ONE OF THE PRIVATE FACILITIES AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE AT A HUNDRED AND ONE.
IF YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT THE IMPACT OF COVID AND WHAT THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN.
>>: WE DID PLAN ON CLOSING THE TWO FACILITIES, PREÂ'COVID OR POPULATION WAS 140,000.
AROUND 140, 139, OUR POPULATION STARTED GOING DOWN.
AGAIN TO 140, 139, DURING COVID THAT NUMBER DROPPED 20,000.
WE SEEN IT PICKUP BECAUSE WE'RE BACK ON THE EDGE.
WE STILL CALCULATE THE MONTHLY RELEASE.
WE'LL TALK INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH THE NUMBER IN THE MIDÂ'125, 128 NUMBER.
WE DON'T KNOW OR CAN PREDICT HOW QUICKLY THE COURTS WILL COME BACK.
IT MAY BE THE DEMAND THAT IS OUT THERE.
AGAIN, OUR RESEARCHERS AND AGAIN, THAT IS OUR FOLKS WORKING CLOSE WITH LBB AND THE COUNTIES, ESTIMATE IT WOULD BE 0023.
IF THE NUMBER DOES GET BACK TO THE 140 BALLPARK, HOPEFULLY IT WON'T GET THAT HIGH.
IF THE POPULATIONS DO COME BACK IT WILL BE SOME WHILE.
WE ALSO PLAN AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL IN MAKING OUR FIVEÂ PERCENT REDUCTION AND LOOKING AT CLOSURE IN ONE FACILITY DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR THAT WILL BE A SMALLER FACILITY, AND WE WILL DO THAT IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS BEFORE WE WALK INTO THE JANUARY SESSION.
I GET THIS QUESTION SOMETIMES PRESENTED TO ME WHEN I'M IN THE HOTSEAT THERE.
I GUESS YOU WANT TO CALL IT TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC.
THAT QUESTION, IF YOU WERE KING FOR A DAY, THERE WERE NO LIMITATIONS ON WHAT YOU COULD DO.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO CHANGE THE CURRENT PRISON SYSTEM? WHAT IS YOUR IDEA TO CHANGE THE CURRENT PRISON SYSTEM AND PERHAPS THE OUTCOMES OF OUR PRISON SYSTEM? THE LAST QUESTION, I KNOW I SAID ONE, THE LAST QUESTION IS THIS, I APOLOGIZE JUST SAYING ONE, I GOT TWO.
BRAIN, WHAT PRISON SYSTEM IN ALL OF THE WORLD IS A MODEL FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS?
>>: I'LL ANSWER THE FIRST PART.
BEFORE I GO TO THE SECOND THING.
IF I WAS KING FOR A DAY, I COULD DO ANYTHING AND MONEY WASN'T AN ISSUE, OR CERTAIN, I WOULD ONE DIVERT AS MANY AS I COULD TO PROBATION.
I WOULD TRY TO LIMIT WHO COME IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I THINK MORE EFFORT PLACED THERE, MORE TOOLS FOR JUDGES, COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS LEAVE THE FOOTPRINT EVEN MORE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT COME INTO PRISON, MANY OF THOSE MIGHT NEED TREATMENT.
IT COULD AVOID PRISON SYSTEM ALL TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA TO FOCUS ON.
SECONDLY WOULD BE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM, WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO TREAT EVERY
[00:55:02]
NEED WE HAVE.OBVIOUSLY, HAVING A MUCH LARGER AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT, SUBSTANCE, AND MENTAL TREATMENT.
OBVIOUSLY EXPANDING THOSE TO HAVE MORE EXTENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY WAIT.
YOU COULD HAVE A MUCH BIGGER DIFFERENCE WITH THE POPULATION THAT YOU HAVE THAT IS INCARCERATED.
ONE YOU SHRINK THE FOOTPRINT BY HAVING MORE COMMUNITY BASE.
YOU DO MORE COMPREHENSIVE TESTING INSIDE THE BOARD OF THE INDIVIDUALS YOU HAVE INSIDE.
YOU DO TREATMENT TRAINING AND BE FULLY PREPARED BEFORE THEY CAN GET TO THE POINT OF RELEASE.
IF YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT SYSTEMS INSIDE THE COUNTRY, THERE IS NOT A SYSTEM THAT STANDS OUT THAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT'S THE MODEL.
YOU SEE THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE, POSITIVE, BUT YOU ALSO SEE PARTS OF OTHER SYSTEMS THAT ARE SHOWING GREAT PROMISE AND GREAT SIGNS.
STAYING ADDRESSED TO THAT, AND SEEING THE OPERATIONS, IF WE SEE AN IDEA, WE'RE GOING WRITE IT.
THERE IS NO COPYRIGHT OF GOOD IDEAS IN CORRECTIONS.
GOOD IDEAS ARE TAKEN AND BORROWED.
THERE ARE THINGS WE HAVE PLACED THAT ARE FROM OTHER STATES WHERE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING SUCCESSFULLY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ONE SYSTEM.
I THINK THEY ARE COMPONENTS OF LOTS OF SYSTEMS TO HELP BE BETTER AND BE BETTER MODELS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING AS WE ARE DOING THE SECOND ANNUAL HOPE SUMMIT.
NOW AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO TURN BACK TO DON FREEMAN.
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER WAYS OR ASSISTANCE THAT WE CAN PARTICULARLY MODEL.
AS PROUD TEXAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT TEXAS SHOULD BE A GREAT STATE SYSTEM THAT OTHER AGENCIES AND SYSTEMS SHOULD MODEL.
BY THE AUDIENCE, WE ARE TRANSITIONING TO THE ENTER MISSION.
WE WILL TAKE ABOUT 15Â'MINUTES TO GIVE YOU A BREAK.
WE WILL ALSO PLAY VIDEOS THROUGH THE RESPONSE ORS, BOARD MEMBERS PLEASE JOIN US BACK HERE AT 11:20Â A.M.
WE WILL ENJOY OUR FIRST PANEL SESSION.
AFTER ALL THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THROUGH THE CRIMINAL COURT SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT TO PUNISH BUT WE DO THAT BY ARMING THEM WITH TOOL THAT'S WILL GIVE THEM LONG TERM SOLUTIONS.
>>: THIS IS A 501C3 ORGANIZATION WITH A SPECIFIC MISSION WITH TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES.
WE BELIEVE REENTRY IS JUST A CORRECTIONS PROBLEM.
WE WANT AND ARE THE BRIDGE BUILDERS FOR THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND AGENCIES TO HELP THEM EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE RETURNED HOME TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND TO ALSO POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIETY.
[01:00:03]
WHAT IF WE HAD A SIGN POSTED ON OUR HEAD.EVERYTHING THAT WE THOUGHT WAS WRONG.
SOMETIMES EVEN THIS IS THE FORMULA INCARCERATED COMMUNITY.
THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT THAT'S NOT WHO YOU ARE.
THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE TO GET OUT OF THIS ENTIRE CAMPAIGN.
SHOWING PEOPLE IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.
>>: GREETINGS, I AM PRESIDENT OF THE NEW TRANSFORMED DALLAS COLLEGE.
WE HAVE BEEN LIVING THE MISSION OF TRANSFORMING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION.
IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE A MISSION DRIVEN INSTITUTION THE WHOLE SUMMIT IS MY NAME IS DR. JOSEPH SEABROOK JUNIOR.
>>: GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS DOCTOR PICKEM.
I AM [INDISCERNIBLE] I HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED WITH THE AGENCY SINCE 1986.
I AM BOARD CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF MEDICINE.
I AM A FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND I AM A CERTIFIED CORRECTIONAL PROFESSIONAL.
[01:05:04]
I HAVE SERVED AS A DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH SERVICES DIVISION SINCE 1998.I HAVE HAD A VERY LONG CAREER IN CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE PART OF THE HOPE EXECUTIVE BOARD.
MEDICAL REENTRY IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO TDCJ IN FACT THE MISSION STATEMENT IS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY, PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE IN OFFENDERS BEHAVIOR AND REINTEGRATE OFF FENDER AND TO ASSIST VICTIM'S OF CRIME.
MEDICAL REENTRY IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION BACK TO COMMUNITY.
>>: I LOVE THE WORK OUT, COMING IN HERE, WE'RE ALL FAMILY.
IT'S LIKE A SECOND HOME FOR ME.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT FOR THE SEVEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
>>: THE FOUNDATION MEANS EVERYTHING HERE.
IT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, WHY WE GOT STARTED IN THIS PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE HERE.
>>: THIS IS A WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD TO LIVE IN.
MILL CITY, TWOÂ MILES FROM DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
WE DO HAVE A FORM THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING, WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY BLOCK.
IT'S SO CUTE ABOUT DALLAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE KIND OF PUT IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION, YOU NEED SOMEONE TO GROWN YOU.
THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB HELPING MYSELF TO BE A LEADER TO BE GROWN IN DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND IMPROVING THIS COMMUNITY.
>>: THIS HAS BEEN AMAZING FOR US.
WE NEEDED SOMETHING TO WORK WITH STUDENTS BEYOND WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE TO DO.
IT HAS BEEN THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN REALLYÂ Â'Â' IT'S EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS KIDS TO INCORRECT A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE NOT TAKING THEM FROM SCHOOL, WE GET TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THOSE LIFE LESSONS WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE.
IF IT'S DEALING WITH UNWED MOTHERS, TEEN PREGNANCY.
>> WE FIND LEADERS IN DETENTION HALLS, IN HIGH SCHOOLS, WE FIND THEM IN PRISON CELLS, AND STATE FACILITIES.
WE FIND THEM IN WIDOWS HOMES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
TO BE A GREAT LEADER, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO LOVE FOLKS.
YOU CANNOT SERVE THOSE WHO YOU DO NOT LOVE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE HUMILITY, AND YOU NEED TO BE WILLING TO HAVE AN INTIMATE
[01:10:03]
RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GIVE THEM THE GREAT SERVICE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.>> YOU HAVE MINISTERS THAT DO NOT DO HOUSE CALLS.
I HEARD THE [INAUDIBLE] I HAD A LOT OF HATE KNOWLEDGE, BUT NOT HEART KNOWLEDGE.
WE'VE BEEN [INAUDIBLE] THE WORK THAT'S DONE WITH PASTOR JAMES.
I'VE BEEN WITH A LOT OF PREACHERS.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF TALK, BUT THE EXAMPLE THAT GOES OUT, IT'S UNDESCRIBABLE.
[INAUDIBLE] I CAN'T EVEN DO THANKS.
>> HI, MY NAME IS AMBER GIVENS, PRESIDING JUDGE, 282 THIRD DISTRICT.
I SERVE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, [INAUDIBLE] AND I APPLAUD HIM IN CREATING A SPACE.
IN HELPING CREATE A SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS ALL PEOPLE.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE HOPE SUMMIT.
WE HAVE A 350 MEDICAL PROFESSIONS, AND ALL SUPPORT STAFF THAT GIVE DEDICATED SERVICE WITH EVERYBODY THAT COMES TO THIS JAIL.
THEY KNOW THAT ANYBODY COULD END UP BEING IN JAIL, AND THEY ALL DESERVE DIGNITY AND MEDICAL CARE.
20Â PERCENT OF ILLNESSES ARE DERIVED FROM PHYSICAL ILLNESS.
WITH THE REST, THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OF THE PERSON IS BEING TREATED.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND CONTEXT OF TAKING CARE OF THE WHOLE PATIENT.
WE ARE PROUD TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT CARE AND MAKE SURE THE PERSON IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND THE UTMOST RESPECT WHILE THEY ARE UNDER OUR CARE.
I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMIT.
THE HOPE SUMMIT WILL PROVIDE SOME LEARNING AND INFORMATION FOR YOU AND FOR ME AS WELL.
WE CAN USE DIFFERENT TOOLS TO ADDRESS THE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THESE MEN AND WOMEN.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE WE ALL HAVE A PRODUCTIVE SUMMIT.
CEO OF THE PRISON ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM.
WE TRANSFORM LIVES, RESTORE FAMILIES, AND REBUILD COMMUNITIES.
PEP OPERATES ON THE INTERSECTION OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC
[01:15:03]
MOBILITY.EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEES, GREAT FATHERS, AND GOOD NEIGHBORS, WE KNOW THAT THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IN LIFE IS NOT A STARTÂ'UP BUSINESS.
WE TAKE OUR PRISON POPULATION THAT HAVE BEEN A DRAIN ON THE TAXPAYERS, AND WE EMPOWER THEM TO BE REAL PRODUCERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, LEADERS IN THEIR FAMILIES, AND PARTNERS OF SOCIAL CHANGE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR INMATE POPULATION IS STUCK IN POVERTY.
WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY OF A WAY OUT.
I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE HOPE SUMMIT.
IT'S A COMMUNITY WHO KNOWS THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE NOT DISPOSABLE.
WE ARE ALL OUR BROTHER'S KEEPERS.
IN THIS ROOM, IN THIS COMMUNITY IS OUR FUTURE, A FUTURE THAT DOESN'T LEAVE ANYONE BEHIND.
AND THIS ROOM IS REAL AND TANGIBLE.
I'M SUPER EXCITED OF WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS GROUP, AND I'LL END BY SAYING, "MAY GOD BLESS US, TEXAS, AND AMERICA AS WE LEAN INTO A POSTURE OF REAL HOPE AND AN INCLUSIVE FUTURE.
>> MY NAME IS CHRISTINA MELTON CRAIN.
I ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS IN FINDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
I SERVED THE STATE BOARD THAT OVERSEES THE INCARCERATION PATROL AND PROBATION OF TEXAS FELONS.
THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE ALLOWED ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE GAP WHICH HAS EXISTED FAR TOO LONG IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND THE ABSENCE OF COHESIVE TRANSITION TRACT FOR INDIVIDUALS REENTERING THE SOCIETY.
I AM WALKING TOWARDS WHAT'S CREATED TO CLOSE GAPS, AND IN THE SHORT TEN YEARS SINCE THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED, I HAVE WITNESSED THE TRANSFORMATION AND EFFECTS UNLOCKED IN CORPORATIONS WITH OUR 280 PLUS PARTNERS, THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS, WHEN THEY ARE CONNECTED TO THE SERVICES THEY SO GREATLY NEED, IN A COMPREHENSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE MANNER.
WE IMPROVE LIVES, CUT CRIME RATES, SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES.
IT'S MY HONOR TO BE A PART OF THE HOPE SUMMIT COMMIT, AND I THANK AND COMMEND REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN AND DAWN FREEMAN IN MAKING THE SUMMIT A REALITY.
LET US ALL DO WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP HOPE ALIVE FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE NONE.
[01:20:16]
THANK YOU.>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME BACK.
HOPEFULLY, YOU LEARNED SOME GREAT INFORMATION FROM SOME OF OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS FOR REAL HOPE COMMITTEE AND OUR SPONSORS FOR THE VIRTUAL HOPE SUMMIT.
NOW WE ARE TRANSITIONING TO OUR FIRST PANEL REGARDING THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE, AND JOINING ME WILL BE REPRESENTATIVE KARL SHERMAN, JUDGE AMBER GIVENS AND DR. JOSEPH SEABROOKS.
IF YOU CAN TURN ON YOUR CAMERA SO I CAN SEE YOUR AMAZING FACES.
SOME MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WANTING TO SEE YOU.
THEY'VE HEARD SO MANY GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOU, NOT JUST FROM THIS OFFICE.
>> REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN, CAN YOU [INAUDIBLE].
>> VIDEO Â'Â' IS YOUR VIDEO [INAUDIBLE].
IT MAY JUST BE ON MY END, BUT WE WILL KEEP MOVING RIGHT AWAY SO THAT THERE'S NOT AN ECHO.
SO WE'RE GONNA OPEN THIS PARTICULAR, UM, THIS SESSION WITH JUST A FEW SLIDES, AND I AM GOING TO PLAY IT FROM HERE AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, ABOUT THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE.
SO AS WE ALLUDED TO THROUGHOUT THIS MORNING'S SESSION, THAT AFTER THE FIRST OR DOING THE FIRST HOPE SUMMIT IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN PULLED TOGETHER A COLLECTIVE GROUP OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES LEADERS, INCLUSIVE OF DIRECTOR COLLIER, JUDGE AMBER GIVENS, AND SEVERAL OTHER STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND LOCAL COMMUNITY BUSINESS LEADERS.
IN THE TAKEAWAY FROM THAT WAS THE CREATION OF THIS REAL HOPE COMMITTEE AND REAL HOPE STANDS FOR RESPONSIBLE ENGAGED ACCOUNTABLE LEADERS HELP OTHER PEOPLE EXCEL, AND ESSENTIALLY, THE MISSION OR THE MISSION OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS TO CHANGE THE TYPICAL OUTCOME FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EITHER LIVING IN POVERTY AND/OR FINDING THEMSELVES INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
I'M GOING BACKWARDS ON MY SLIDES HERE, SO BARE WITH ME.
I WANTED TO SHARE Â'Â' YOU SAW VIDEOS OF ALL OF OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS OR AT LEAST SOME OF THEM.
I WANTED TO SHARE A VIEW OF EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMMITTEE SO YOU CAN SEE THE DIVERSITY IN DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVES THAT WE'RE COLLECTIVELY BRINGING TO THE TABLE AND TO HELP CREATE THAT REAL CHANGE THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THIS STATE OF TEXAS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE IS TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS IN GAPS IN THE AREAS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PRISON REFORM, AND ADDRESS THEM SO THAT RETURNING CITIZENS AND COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE.
[01:25:02]
THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL GET RIGHT INTO THIS PANEL.I WANT TO START OFF WITH Â'Â' WE DO HAVE SEVERAL SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH, BASES ON THAT INITIAL COMPRESSION CLAIMING SESSION IN FEBRUARY.
AND SO, THE FIRST IS LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT.
LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT IS A PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LEADERS TO BE ENGAGED WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTERS MEASURES TO INTRODUCE IMPLEMENTATION ON LEGISLATION.
INVOLVED SMALL TASKS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE LEGISLATOR ON THE WORDING OF A BILL, LARGER CAMPAIGNS, AS WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PRINCIPLE REFORM.
LEGISLATIVE CONTACT FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY MAY SEEM AN INTIMIDATING PROCESS.
LEADERS IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN BE PREPARED WITH ELECTED WEBSITES AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS RESOURCES TO GAIN ADDITIONAL INSIGHT IN BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR LOCAL OFFICIALS AND VOTING HISTORY AND DIFFERENT LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, ALONG WITH THE CURRENT BILLS THAT CAN HELP GUIDE THE CONVERSATION, LEADING TO PRODUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN, I KNOW IT IS OUR DESIRE FOR THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE TO INCREASE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS THE ACT OF INVOLVING TEXAS RESIDENTS IN A MORE MEANINGFUL WAY AND DELIBERATE WAY FOR THE AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMITTEE.
COULD YOU SHARE WHAT IS THE LEGISLATIVE FOR THE TEXAS COMMUNITY?
SPECIFICALLY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IS TYPICALLY DESCRIBED AS FIXING ERRORS AND GAPS IN THE JUSTICE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE GOALS IN THE AGENCIES ARE THE GOALS THAT THOSE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SPEARHEAD.
THEY REALLY FOCUS MORE ON REFORM, AND THOSE RANGES, THOSE REFORMS RANGE FROM THE INCARCERATION, THAT IS THE REDUCTION IN THE PRISON OF THE POPULATION TO SENTENCING DISPARITIES BECAUSE WHERE ONE SET OF THE POPULATION RECEIVES SENTENCES, OTHER PARTS OF THE POPULATION RECEIVE AFFLUENCE.
SO WE WANT TO END SENTENCING DISPARITIES.
POLICING REFORM: I DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING, OTHER THAN THE NAME OF GEORGE FLOYD.
REDUCING TECHNICAL REVOCATION.
AND LATER IN OUR DISCUSSION, I HOPE I'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNED A BILL ON SEPTEMBERÂ 30TH, A PROGRESSIVE BILL THAT ADDRESSES THE PROBATION AND PAROLE REAL REFORM, THAT I THINK WE CAN DO AND NEED TO DO IN THIS STATE.
AS FAR AS ADDRESSING CRIMINALIZING SURVIVAL, THERE ARE SOME WRAP AROUND SERVICES THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO FALL PEOPLE IN THE CRACKS, AND WE CAN DO THAT, AND DO THAT IN SOME WAYS TO DIVERSION, BUT WE CAN DO BETTER, AS WELL AS THE LOOKING AT THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS.
ARE OUR SENTENCING TIME, THE TIME THAT WE SENTENCE PEOPLE, IS THAT BEYOND PUNITIVE? AND SO, I THINK OUR EFFORTS WITHIN THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE IS FOCUSSED ON FOR OUR COURT WITHIN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THEY ARE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND POLICING, PRISON REFORM, AND PROBATION.
AND PAROLE [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT IS OUR FOCUS ON THIS SUBCOMMITTEE [INAUDIBLE].
>> AND THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN.
JUDGE GIVENS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO THE OUR AUDIENCE WHAT IS THE JUDICIAL
[01:30:06]
PROCESS? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT?>> THE JUDICIAL PROCESS IS JUST, ESSENTIALLY, EVERY ASPECT OF THE COURT SYSTEM.
IN HOPES, OBVIOUSLY, THAT JUSTICE IS DONE AT THE END, BUT IT'S STARTED WITH THE INITIAL FINDING OF PROBABLE CAUSE IN A CASE, TO THE GRAND JURY PROCESS, TO THE DISCOVERY PROCESS.
IT'S EVERY SINGLE PROCESS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY AS RELATED TO THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.
>>: IS FOCUSED ON FOUR COURT SENATES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THEY ARE JUDICIAL PROCESS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, POLICING, PRISON REFORM AND PROBATION.
THAT IS OUR FOCUS ON THIS SUBCOMMITTEE.
JUDGE GIVENS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO THE AUDIENCE, WHAT IS THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.
>>: SO IT'S JUST ESSENTIALLY EVERY ASPECT OF THE COURT SYSTEM.
UM, IN HOPES OBVIOUSLY THAT JUSTICE IS DONE AT THE END.
IT STARTS WITH THE INITIAL FINDING OF PROBABLE CAUSE TO A CASE TO THE GRAND JURY PROCESS, IT'S EVERY SINGLE PROCESS IN A JUSTICE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE PUT DIFFERENT AREAS OF FOCUS FOR WHAT NOW HAVE BECOME THE DIFFERENT ECHO] TO PUT THIS ON THE BOARD WAS TO GIVE THE JUDICIARY MORE LEEWAY.
INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION, WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO YOU AS A JUDGE.
>>: WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THOSE ARE INSTANCES WHERE THE COURTS HANDS ARE TIED ON WHAT WE HAVE ON PROBATION.
YOU CAN'T GET AN INDIVIDUAL UP FOR CHARGED AGGRAVATED ROBBERY.
IT TIES HAND TO SAY THEY COME BACK, THEY GO ON A PENITENTIARY, YOUR HANDSÂ'ON TIED BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
ALL THE WAY TO FIVE OR 99 YEARS AND LIFE IN PRISON.
THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF INSTANTS WHERE A INDIVIDUAL MIGHT BE REHABILITATED AND SHOULD BE REINTRODUCED TO SOCIETY.
AND THEY WANT TO PETITION THE COURT FOR SHOCK PROBATION, THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
THAT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE LIMITS.
WE ALSO DISCUSSED AMEND LEGISLATION FOR JUDICIAL CLEMENCY TO SHOW IF AN EVENT DOES NOT APPEAR ON A IC, NCIC REPORT, CAN YOU BOTH ELABORATE ON THAT? WHAT IS THE JUDICIAL LEGISLATION ON JUDICIAL CLEMENCY.
IT ESSENTIALLY GIVES THE A 42 DAYS, GIVES US THE ABILITY TO WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN FOR THEM.
IT'S ALMOST LAKE WE DISMISSED THE INDICTMENT.
WE WERE ABLE TO RESTORE THE CIVIL LIBERTY AND VOTING.
HOWEVER, THE CONVICTION STILL SHOWS IN THE TCIC, NCIC.
THAT'S THE TEXAS INFORMATION CENTER AND THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER.
THINK OF IT LIKE A CLEARING HOUSE OF CLEARING INFORMATION.
IF THERE'S A STOLEN VEHICLE REPORT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT INFORMATION, ANY CASE INFORMATION, STATE, LOCAL, ALL TYPES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT INFORMATION 24 HOURS A DAY.
SAY YOU GET STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC OFFENSE.
THEY FEEL LIKE THAT CAR HAS BEEN SUSPECTED OF BEING STOLEN.
THE POLICE CAN'T GO IN WITH A HIT.
HE HAS TO GO IN AND CONFIRM THE INFORMATION IS ACCURATE.
IT'S IMPORTANT, IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS, WHEN THE POTENTIAL EMPLOYER RUN THEMES, THEY WILL TURN OUT POSITIVE.
[01:35:04]
>>: JUDGE AMBER GIVENS IS RIGHT.
DURING THE COMPRESSION PLANNING, I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTION SHE MADE IN THE PROCESS IN BRINGING THESE THINGS TO LIGHT.
I'LL SAY, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS FOLLOW MICHIGAN'S EXAMPLE ON THIS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HERE NEED TO DO HERE IN TEXAS.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO MORE PROGRESSIVE THINGS WITH JUDGES LIKE JUDGE GIVENS WORKING WITH US.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BEING EASY ON CRIME.
THIS IS ABOUT BEING SMART ON CRIME.
THESE INDIVIDUALS, THESE CITIZENS WILL REJOIN THE COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THE RIGHT SETUP FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>>: JUST TO ADD TO THIS, STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHAIRMAN IS VERY CORRECT IN THAT.
IT'S THAT JUDICIAL CLEMENCY HAS BEEN IN THE BOOKS FOR OVER 60 YEARS.
IT WASN'T UNTIL JANUARYÂ 2018, THEY SAID YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS FOR DECADES.
IT WASN'T UNTIL 2018 THAT JUDGES WERE REQUIRED NOW FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONVICTED WERE REQUIRED TODAY GIVE THEM A WRITTEN ADMONISHMENT.
I'VE AWARDED A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE.
AND THEY HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH THE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM.
DURING THE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM, HOMELESS, DAUGHTER WAS TRAFFICKED, SON BEATER UP, SHE PUSHED THROUGH.
I ORDERED HER JUDICIAL CLEMENCY, SHE CAME BACK, AND SHE SAID I STILL CAN'T GET A JOB I'M REALLY TRYING.
EVEN THOUGH YOU GAVE ME JUDICIAL CLEMENCY, THIS IS SHOWING UP ON MY WRAP SHEET, THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME A CHANCE.
BUT NOW MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE ASKING ABOUT IT, THEY CAN NOW VOTE AGAIN, WHAT ABOUT THEM BEING EMPLOYED?
>>: IF I CAN INTERJECT, I'M SORRY, THE JUDGE YOU GOT ME STARTED IN TALKING ABOUT THIS JUDICIAL CLEMENCY.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND, IT'S IMPORTANT AND AS THE JUDGE POINTED OUT IT WASN'T REALLY LOOKED AT UNTIL 2018, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT A SILVER BULLET.
WE GOT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN PREVENT JUDGES FROM HAVING TO EXERCISE JUDICIAL CLEMENCY.
WHAT CALIFORNIA DID ON ACCEPT 30TH, THIS YEAR, WAS TOÂ Â'Â' THEY CHANGED THEIR LAWS FOR PROBATION OR PAROLE, FOR ANYONE IS GOING TO BE LIMITED TO TWO YEARS FOR FELONY AND ONE YEAR FOR PROBATION FOR MISDEMEANORS.
YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS THIS LIFETIME OR 20 YEARS OF PROBATION WHICH INCREASES THE PROBABILITY OF TECHNICAL REVOCATION.
IT CAN HAPPY AT THE SMALLEST INFRACTION, YOU ARE GOING TO YOUR DAUGHTERS GRADUATION.
YOU DIDN'T REALIZE IN THE EXCITEMENT THAT IT'S IN COLLIN COUNTY, AND YOU WERE CHARGED AND RESTRICTED AND YOU CROSSED THE BOND INTO COLLIN COUNTY.
YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL REVOCATION.
YOU'RE SUBJECT TO BE SENTENCED BACK TO PRISON.
IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE EXTENDED PERIODS WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE
[01:40:06]
UNDER THE SYSTEM IT'S LIKE A TIME OUT IN PENITENTIARY.THOSE OF US WHO MAY HAVE BEEN KIDS, DISORDERLY, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH TIME OUT.
THEY WENT TO WORK, AND CAME HOME IT'S NOT LIKELY YOU STAYED IN THAT CORNER RIGHT? THERE ARE SURVIVAL THINGS YOU NEED TO DO.
WE ARE CRIMINALIZING THESE THINGS.
WE CAN SET PROPER FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING THE WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND USE THE TOOLS WE HAVE LIKE JUDICIAL CLEMENCY.
JUDGE YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY.
I MAY SAY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE ASKED LATER.
>>: NO THAT WAS A GREAT SUMMARY, STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN.
>>: I'M GOING TO TRANSITION AND INTRODUCE DOCTOR SEABROOKS TO THE CONVERSATION.
ONE OF THE OTHER CONVERSATION WE HAVE UNDER THE REAL HOPE TEAM IS OF CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BUSINESSES ARE NOT ONLY INFLUENCERS, THEY ARE CRUCIAL TO REDUCING COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES TO INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING TRANSPORTATION, ET CETERA.
UNDER THE SUBCOMMITTEE, WE INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT.
DOCTOR SEABROOK'S WHAT IS THE WAY IT CAN BE BETTER UTILIZED BY AND FOR RETURNING CITIZENS.
>>: THANK YOU MRS. FREEMAN FOR THE QUESTION.
>>: I THINK INSTITUTIONS LIKE OURS AT DALLAS COLLEGE ARE FEND MENTAL FOR THE NEEDING NEED OF FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN FORMALLY INCARCERATED.
AT THE END OF THE DAY SOCIAL PROGRAMS EVER INVENTED WAS A HIGH PAYING JOB.
IF WE CAN GET FOLKS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED IN THE PAST ANY SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING AND EARNING A FANTASTIC LIVING, WE NOT ONLY TRANSFORM THE PERSONS LIFE, BUT EVERYONE THEY TOUCH.
THE SECOND ISSUE, WE HAVE THE SKILLS GAP.
EIGHTYÂ PERCENT OF COMPANIES OF ALL SECTORS ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND TALLENT.
YOU NAME IT, THERE'S NO SECTOR TO FIND A SKILLS GAP.
FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THESE ARE THE FOLKS WE NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.
I CAN TELL YOU HAVING PUT TOGETHER SEVERAL TRAINING PROGRAMS, BOTH IN FACILITIES WHERE FOLKS ARE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED, SUPPORTING YOUNG MEN AND WOMAN IN RETURN, THESE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOTIVATION THAT YOUNG MEN AND WOMAN HAVE TO CAPTURE.
REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN TALKS ABOUT HEARTS AND MOUNDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE INTERACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN FORMALLY
[01:45:04]
INCARCERATED, AND WHEN YOU MEET, YOU KNOW, I TELL YOU WE HAVE HAD GRADUATION CELEBRATIONS IN THE FEDERAL CORRECTIONS INSTITUTE, THE SS UNIT IN THE VENUS TEXAS UNIT.THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM, WHEN YOU PHYSICALLY SEE THEM AND INTERACT WITH THEM, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY RESIDING.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE STUDENTS IN THEIR CAPS AND GOWNS, YOU NOTICE DIFFERENCE OTHER THAN THE RESTRICTIONS THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE INCARCERATED ARE UNDER.
AND SO WE Â'Â' I THINK THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT PERSONALLY WITH FOLKS AND GET TO KNOW THEIR STORIES AND GET TO SEE THEIR LEVEL OF MOTIVATION AND TO BUILD A RAPPORT.
AND IT'S AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CONSTRUCTION TRADES PROGRAM, EVEN IN COVID, WHERE WE HELP 8 TO 12 FOLKS COMPLETE IN A FIVEÂ'WEEK PERIOD, AND ALL OF THEM ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED.
BUT THERE ARE LIFE SITUATIONS, WHETHER IT'S TRANSPORTATION, WHETHER IT'S SUPPORT WITH CHILDCARE THAT PUTS THAT, UM, EMPLOYMENT IN JEOPARDY.
WE HAVE TO GET OVER THE FANTASY IN OUR HEAD ABOUT WHO THAT PEOPLE ARE.
I WILL TRANSITION BACK, AS IT RELATES TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED FOR PAROLE AND PROBATION, BROADENING LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS THE TERMINATION AND INCREASED PROBATION AND PAROLEÂ'BASED FUNDING TO REDUCE THE RELIANCE ON FEES PAID BY THE INDIVIDUAL.
WHAT, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN, WHAT IS THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE LIMITATIONS, OR EVEN JUDGE GIVENS, WHAT ARE THOSE LEGISLATIVE LIMITATIONS [INAUDIBLE].
AND SO CAN I GET Â'Â' DAWN, CAN YOU, AS RELATED TO LEGISLATIVE RESTRICTIONS, CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR, AS IT RELATES TO MY ROLE?
>> IN THE INSTANCE OF, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE HAS A LIFE SENTENCE AND THEY MAKE PAROLE, BUT THEN THEY ARE ON PAROLE FOR LIFE.
WHAT IS THAT PROCESS? CAN THEY EVER GET OFF OF PAROLE? OR THEY ARE LITERALLY ON PAROLE FOR LIFE, AND THEN BEING SUBJECT TO BEING PAYING PAROLE FEES, ET CETERA? AND CAN A PERSON ACTUALLY DO ENOUGH OR MAKE A REQUEST, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF CLEMENCY PROCESS TO ACTUALLY GET OFF OF PAROLE AND/OR PROBATION?
>> SO I CAN ANSWER SHORTLY FOR THE PAROLE.
IT'S UP TO THE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLE.
THEY ARE A HANDFUL OF INDIVIDUALS.
THEY MAKE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR PAROLE.
SO IT'S A SUBJECT THAT WE RARELY TOUCH IN THE CRIMINAL COURTS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY PROMISES.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BOARD IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO DO.
IF THERE ARE ANY TREATMENTS, THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE JAIL [INAUDIBLE] OR TROUBLE THEY WILL GET IN EXTENSIONS IN THEIR SENTENCES.
THE CAP IN TEXAS IS TEN YEARS.
THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL COULD BE ON EXTENDED PROBATION FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES THAT RELATES TO CHILDREN.
OTHER THAN THAT, YOU CAN'T HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL ON PROBATION FOR LONGER THAN TEN YEARS.
DEFERRED PROBATION, AT ANY TIME SOMEONE COMPLETES THEIR SENTENCE, THEY CAN COME BACK
[01:50:06]
FOR A RELEASE.IF THEY COMPLETE EVERYTHING, THEY CAN COME BACK THE NEXT DAY.
LEGISLATIVE SPEAKING, AS IT RELATED TO STRAIGHT PROBATION, WE ARE FORCED Â'Â' THEY HAVE TO DO ONE THIRD OF THAT TIME ON PROBATION.
THEY CAN'T ASK FOR EARLY RELEASE ON STRAIGHT PROBATION IF THEY HAVEN'T COMPLETED ONE THIRD OF THEIR TIME.
THERE IS NOTHING A JUDGE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S DETERMINED BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR.
>> AS IT RELATED IT PROBATION, ONCE A PERSON IS GIVEN PROBATION, IT'S HARD TO GET OFF.
AND THE COST OF PROBATION IS VERY COSTLY FOR THE STATE, AND SO WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER WAYS OF MITIGATING THIS PROCESS OF PROVIDING, ESSENTIALLY THE CARE THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS, CARE THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
AB ASSEMBLY BILL 1950 IN CALIFORNIA.
IF IT WERE TEXAS, IT WOULD BE HOUSE BILL HB 1950.
IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS SIGNED WHEN THE BILL WAS FILED.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS OF PROVIDING A CAST SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS FOR MORE PROBABLE SUCCESS, AGAIN, FOR THE OUTCOMES TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE MEASURING THOSE THINGS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THE IMPACT ON THE SYSTEMS, TO NOT ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERED INMATES OR RESIDENTS OF TDCJ, BUT ALSO THE IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GUARDS OVER THEM.
WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MENTAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL IMPACT IS OF OUR SYSTEM, AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, AND WE JUST SUBMITTED THE BILL TO STUDY THAT.
BECAUSE, I THINK, WHAT WE WILL FIND IS THAT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS NOT GOOD.
IT'S NOT FINANCIALLY, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOOD FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE TO ENSURE THAT WE DO HAVE A SAFER COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE ALL WANT Â'Â' IS BETTER OUTCOMES.
I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION AND MORE, BUT I KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE OF US, MORE JUDGES, LIKE JUDGE AMBER GIVENS, AND JUDGES WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY TOO.
THE REALITY OF IT IS, AS SMART AS ALL OF US, CONSERVATIVES AND PERCEIVED LIBERALS, MUST COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SOMETHING BETTER.
>> THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN.
WE HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT THIS PARTICULAR PANEL.
DO YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON ANY OF THE LEGISLATION THAT YOU ARE BRING FORTH ECHO].
WE JUST GOT BACK OUR LANGUAGE ON BOWS LAW, AND WE WILL BE FILING BOWS LAW AFTER THE ELECTION, PRESUMING I'M REELECTED.
WE WILL FILE BOWS LAWS, WHICH ADDRESSES FOUR COMPONENTS.
THE CASE IN WHICH THE YOUNG 26Â'YEAR OLD, AN ACCOUNTANT, WHO WAS SHOT IN HIS OWN HOME BY AN OFFÂ'DUTY POLICE OFFICER.
THAT LAW WILL ADDRESS FOUR THINGS.
THE CASTLE DOCTRINE, CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE REGARDING THE CASTLE DOCTRINE.
IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH THAT YOU THINK IT'S YOUR HOME, OR YOU THINK IT'S YOUR PROPERTY.
WE WANT THE CASTLE DOCTRINE TO STAND FIRM, BUT NOT TO BE USED BY ATTORNEYS AND LEGAL EXPERTS WHO TRY TO MANEUVER AND HAVE THE JURY AND THE COURT THINK THAT, THAT PERSON HAD A RIGHT TO USE LETHAL FORCE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THEIR PROPERTY.
THE LAST TWO COMPONENTS TO THE BILL IS ADDRESSING BODY CAMERAS.
DESOTO WAS THE FIRST CITY TO HAVE BODY CAMS FOR THEIR POLICE OFFICERS.
WE HEARD COMPLAINTS FROM AFRICANÂ'AMERICAN MOTHERS THAT THEIR SONS WERE BEING MISTREATED.
THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S TRANSPARENCY WITHIN POLICING.
IT'S NECESSARY THAT THEY TURN THEM ON, BUT ALSO THAT THEY DO NOT TURN THEM OFF
[01:55:01]
DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE INVESTIGATION.AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MANY POLICE OFFICERS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS REFORM.
THERE ARE JUST GOOD, NOBLE POLICE OFFICERS WHO COME IN WHITE, BLACK, AND BROWN, AND THEY WEAR THE BADGE.
>> I CAN'T HEAR Â'Â' BUT THANK YOU SENATOR WEST FOR YOUR WORK IN THE SENATE, AND FOR YOUR WORK OVER THE YEARS WITH DASH CAMS, IN 2005, THAT YOU AUTHORED.
AND IN 2015, SENATOR, AUTHORED BODY CAMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN.
THANK YOU, JUDGE GIVENS AND DR. SEABROOKS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS GREAT PANEL.
I'LL GIVE YOU A HAND AS YOU PREPARE TO TRANSITION TO OUR NEXT PANEL.
I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, WE WOULD LOVE Â'Â' THIS IS OUR CALL TO ACTION Â'Â' THIS IS THE MAIN REASON FOR TODAY AS VIRTUAL HOPE SUMMIT.
WE WANT CITIZEN AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS WE BRING THIS DIFFERENT ISSUES TO LIGHT, AND TO COME UP WITH COMPREHENSIVE SITUATIONS TO CHANGE THE TYPICAL OUTCOME.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING ONE OF OUR SUBCOMMITTEES IN THE AREA OF LEGISLATE ENGAGEMENT, CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM COMMUNITY, AND FAITHÂ'BASED ENGAGEMENT, CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT, OR HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE, AND SIGN UP, AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
AS WE TRANSITION OUT, WE ARE GOING TO BRING UP OUR NEXT GROUP OF PRESENTERS.
SO OUR NEXT PANEL'S MODERATORS ARE CHRISTINA MELTON CRAIN.
I HAVE THE SLIDE UP, AND I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICE.
FOR THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
WE HAVE DR. ROBERTO DEL LA CRUZ, WHOM YOU HEARD FROM EARLIER, THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR PARKLAND HEALTH SYSTEM.
WE HAVE CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF RENEWED HOPE.
WE HAVE T HOPKINS WITH THE FOUNDATION.
I'M GONNA POSE A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO GET US STARTED OFF.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEDICAL AND MENTAL HE HEALTH ISSUES WITH REGARD TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE POPULATION.
>> TEXAS IS THE LARGEST CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
THERE ARE ROUGHLY 120,000 PLUS INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS.
ANOTHER 111,000 PLUS UNDER PAROLE SUPERVISION, AND ANOTHER 360,000 [INAUDIBLE] ON PROBATION.
APPROXIMATELY 70,000 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS REENTER OUR TEXAS SOCIETIES, THE MASS NUMBERS INCLUDING THE PANDEMIC THAT WE ARE UNDER HAS INCREASED, AN INCREASED AGE POPULATION AND TREAT TREATMENT FOR EXPENSIVE HIV, CANCER, AND DIABETES, JUST TO NAME A FEW CONTINUE, TO MAKE THE MEDICAL AND MENTAL COSTS RISE.
AND, OF COURSE, MENTAL HEALTH IS AN COMPONENT IN OF ITSELF.
[02:00:03]
THESE ARE BOTH LOCAL AND STATE LEVELS, AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE WITH US TODAY TWO REPRESENTATIVES WITH US TO SHOW US>>: CHRISTINA, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
WE HAVE A GROUP HERE THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT STATE WIDE ISSUES.
TO GIVE A BRIEF EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT ONE TEXAS URBAN AREA.
I THINK YOU'RE WHAT'S CAUSING THE ECCO.
IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN ON YOUR MUTE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THE ECCO IN THE BACKGROUND.
>>: I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR ME, MY SON HAS RECENTLY BEEN RELEASED FROM ONE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM LAST YEAR.
HE WAS RELEASE AND NOT ON ANY TYPE OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS.
HIS FAMILY, WE DID NOT KNOW HE HAD A MENTAL ILLNESS.
I JUST FOUND OUT THIS YEAR, THAT HE HAS A MENTAL DISORDER.
FOR THE FAMILY, WHAT I FOUND THIS IS WE MAY HAVE BEEN PREPARED HIM BETTER HAD WE BEEN AWARE OF IT.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, WE HAD TO HAVE MANY MORE ENCOUNTERS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AS A MOM, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE, HE HAS SCHIZOPHRENIA EPISODES.
ON MY END, HE'S 31 YEARS OLD, HE HAS THE RIGHT TO CHECK HIMSELF OUT OF HOSPITALS WHEN HE WANTS TO.
OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND THE HIPPA LAWS I CAN'T BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION TO KNOW WHO HE'S DEALING WITH.
AS A FAMILY I CAN PREPARE MYSELF AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO HELP HIM NAVIGATE WITH THIS LIFE THAT HE HAS TO LIVE.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST MY FAMILY.
THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THIS AND SUFFERING IN SILENCE.
UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF TIMESÂ Â'Â' I'M JUST NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT IT.
[02:05:10]
YOU BRING OUT THE ASPECTS OF THIS.
NOT JUST THE MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
BLESS YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH.
CHRISTOPHER LET'S TURN TO YOU.
I KNOW YOU HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES YOURSELF AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING AN EXONEREE.
YOU'VE NOW STARTED THIS GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS HELPED INDIVIDUALS WORK WITH IN NEED.
>>: CHRISTOPHER, ARE YOU ON MUTE.
>>: CHRISTINA, IF YOU WANT TO TRANSITION.
DR. DELA CRUZ, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT SERVICES AND RESOURCES YOU AND PARK LAND ARE ABLE TO COVER WEBEX, AND TECHNOLOGY.
ON BEHALF OF OUR PATIENTS WHO ARE THE REASON FOR US TO BE HERE.
I APPRECIATE THE LEARNING AND HEALTH CARE.
AS YOU SAID WE HAVE A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN JAIL IN DALLAS COUNTY JAIL THAT HAS MENTAL ILLNESS.
IT IS THE SECOND PROVIDER OF MENTAL HEALTH.
WHEN WE'RE HAVING OUR PLACE OF INCARCERATION AS THE MAIN PROVIDERS OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE, PARK LAND, WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE TO TAKE CARE OF ALL MEDICAL CARE.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD A GROUP OF DEDICATED MEDICAL PROVIDERS THAT FORM A MEDICARE UNIT.
BEFORE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, BEFORE THE BIG TOWERS IN THE JAIL, WE MADE A PLAN.
WE CAN PROVIDE DIALYSIS AT THE COUNTY JAIL.
WITH MENTAL HEALTH WE ARE THE PRIMARY PROVIDERS AS WELL.
>> LET'S REALLY EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS WITH THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE, WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WITH BOTH THOSE THAT ARE INSIDE AND THOSE THAT ARE BEING RELEASED.
>> I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THE PANEL THIS AFTERNOON.
AS A DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH SERVICES DIVISION, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
[02:10:18]
HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO ALL 127,000 OFFENDERS IN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.THOSE SERVICES INCLUDE MEDICAL SERVICES, NURSING SERVICES, DENTAL SERVICES, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.
THE OFFENDERS THAT HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO A DIFFERENT DIVISION OF REHABILITATION PROGRAM SERVICES.
WELL, WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, WE'RE Â'Â' IN FACT, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, REALLY IS A STATE SYSTEM FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE, UM, I'M SORRY.
WE HAVE EXTREMELY LARGE NUMBERS OF MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS.
WE HAVE 25,000 OFFENDERS THAT ARE OUTÂ'PATIENT CASELOAD.
WE HAVE 25,000 OFFENDERS, OUTÂ'PATIENT CASELOAD STATEWIDE, AND THAT'S Â'Â' OUT OF THAT OVERALL NUMBER OF THE 127,000, THE 2,000 INPATIENT BEDS, THE ENTIRE
[02:15:08]
PRISON UNIT, INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH UNIT, THEY ARE LOCATED AT THE BALAVA [PHONETIC], THE GESTER[PHONETIC] FOUR UNIT AND SUGAR UNIT.IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, ONE OF WHICH IS CALLED THE MENTAL HEALTH THERAPIST DIVERSION PROGRAM.
IT IS A PROGRAM LOCATED AT TWO UNITS, THE HUGES UNIT, AND THE MICHAELS UNIT, BOTH IN THE PAL[INDISCERNIBLE] AREA.
EACH UNIT HOUSES 420 BEDS THAT IS DEDICATED TO OFFENDERS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS, A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, WHAT WE CALL HIGH CUSTODY OFFENDERS.
THESE ARE OFFENDERS, WHO BASED ON CUSTODY, THEY MAY BE SECURITY THREAT GROUPS OR GANG MEMBERS OR HAVE A LOT OF DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS WITHIN THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT.
THEY ARE AT A HIGHER CUSTODY DISTINCTION.
IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SEGMENT GROUP, THE NEW TECHNOLOGY IS RESTRICTIVE HEALTH.
THEY ARE MOVING INTO A THERAPIST AREA, NOT JUST BEING LOCKED DOWN 23 OUT OF 24.
THEY ARE MOVED INTO THE MENTAL HEALTH THERAPIST DIVERSION PROGRAM WHERE THEY RECEIVE PROGRAMMING AND MORE OUT OF CELL TIME.
THE OTHER SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IS CALLED PAMIO [PHONETIC].
THIS IS THE PROGRAM FOR THE AGGRESSIVE MENTAL HEALTH ILL OFFENDER.
THE TIME LENGTH OF THAT PROGRAM IS MUCH LONGER, AND THAT PROGRAM IS AT BILL COMANS UNIT.
THEN WE HAVE TWO UNITS THAT ARE DEDICATED WITH OFFENDERS WITH INTELLECT IMPAIRMENTS.
IN THE PAST, "MENTALLY RETARDED" HAS BEEN USED FOR THOSE OFFENDERS.
BUT THE HODGE UNIT IN THE PAL AREA HAS 600 MALE OFFENDERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
AND THEN THE CRANE ENVIRONMENT IN GATESVILLE, TEXAS, IS OUR FEMALE PROGRAM.
100 FEMALES WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
WE ALSO HAVE A MENTAL CASELOAD ON DEATH ROW.
50 OFFENDERS THAT WE SEE RECEIVE HEALTH SERVICES.
TDCJ HAS UNITS THAT ARE CALLED SUBSTANCE ABUSE FELONY PUNISHMENTS FACILITIES.
THESE ARE OFFENDERS SENTENCES WITH DRUGÂ'RELATED CRIMES AND THEY GO THROUGH, UM, A COMMUNITY OF Â'Â' THERAPIST COMMUNITY TYPE MODEL FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE COÂ'DIAGNOSED OR HAVE ALSO MENTAL ILLNESS.
WE HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS SUBSTANCE ABUSE FELONY PUNISHMENT FACILITATES FOR OFFENDERS WHO HAVE BOTH MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.
WE HAVE A BIG OPERATION IN HEALTH ON THE PRISON'S SIDE.
APRIL, SHE CAN EXPLAIN THE ROLE OF HER DIVISION AND CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR THESE OFFENDERS.
I WILL TELL YOU OF A JOINT PROCESS, A JOINT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO DIVISIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, OUR PATIENTS THAT ARE INPATIENT 2,000 BEDS, WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO LEAVE THE SYSTEM, THE PAROLE PROCESS, AND THEY REMAIN ACUTELY MENTALLY ILL, AND THEN WE WORK HANDÂ'INÂ'HAND WITH THE REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION DIVISION ARRANGING FOR CIVIL COMMITMENTS FOR THOSE PATIENTS.
OUR PSYCHIATRISTS PETITION THE COURTS, AND APRIL AND HER STAFF ASSIST US WITH A LOT OF THE LEG WORK.
A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS AND INTERACTION BETWEEN OUR TWO DIVISIONS, NOT ONLY IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AREA, BUT IN THE MEDICAL AREAS AS WELL WITH OFFENDERS WITH PREFERENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.
APRIL, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT TACUMI.
>> THE TEXAS CORRECTION OFFICE ON OFFENDERS OF MENTAL IMPAIRMENT STAND FOR [INAUDIBLE] AND WHAT DR. LITH IS PROVIDING IS A PARTNERSHIP, OUR DESIGN
[02:20:02]
ABOUT PARTNERING AROUND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.SO OUR SYSTEM, HER CAMPUS FOR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE PRETRIAL SYSTEM, ARE WITHIN MANY OF OUR URBAN COMMUNITIES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE IT WITHIN RURAL COMMUNICATES.
WE'RE DEVELOPING PROGRAMS TO HELP PEOPLE FROM OUR PRISON SYSTEMS, AND THEN WE ALSO SERVICE OUR PROBATION WITH INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT THROUGH OUR MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE.
IF THEY DO END UP GOING INTO OUR PRISON SYSTEM, OUR ROLE IS TO MONITOR THAT CASE THROUGH THE PRISON SYSTEM.
IF, IN FACT, OUR PRISON HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS NEED MORE INFORMATION, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE FEDERAL GRANT GOING ON.
OUR SUBSTANCE ABUSE FELONY PROGRAM.
WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICE SPECIALIST WHO WORK ON THE UNIT, AND THOSE TYPES OF FACILITATES, AND THEN WORK HANDÂ'INÂ'HAND WITH MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO TRANSITION THEM BACK OUT TO THE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF CARE, MOVING FROM PAROLE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, WHERE THE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL PROVIDERS PROVIDE 30 DAYS OF MEDICAL, WHETHER IT'S MEDICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH MEDICATION, AND WE THEN PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND CONTINUITY SERVICES FOR ALL WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESSES, MOVING ONTO PAROLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON OUR PAROLE CASES.
THEY WORK WITH OUR [INAUDIBLE] ALL OF OUR FACILITATES WORK TOGETHER ON CREATING A PLAN TO KNOW WHO TO CALL, WHAT THE CRISIS NUMBERS ARE, AND HOW TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT, IF THEY NEED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WHAT THEY ALSO DO, SPECIAL NEEDS CASE ARE MILLIONS, IN PARTICULAR ON THE [INAUDIBLE] ON THE [INAUDIBLE].
[INAUDIBLE] WE AGAIN HAVE SSI APPLICATION PROCESS, WHICH LEADS TO MEDICAID, IF SOMEONE QUALIFIES FOR MEDICAID.
PUTTING SOMEONE IN THE POSITION TO CONTINUE THEIR ASSISTANCE, AND THAT'S BEING DONE ON PAROLE OR WHETHER IT'S A FLAT DISCHARGE OR A STATE CHARGE FROM THAT SYSTEM.
THE OTHER THING ADDING TO THE MEDICAL ISSUES THAT WE SEE IN OUR SYSTEM Â'Â' EARLIER YOU WERE PARTICIPATING, AND WE TALKED ABOUT YOU HEARD FROM OUR AGEING POPULATION.
SO IT DOESN'T ONLY TAKE CARE OF OUR MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
WE HAVE TWO STAFF COMPLETELY WORKING ON [INAUDIBLE].
WE ARE PLACING PEOPLE IN NURSING HOMES, IF THEY HAVE THAT NEED.
WE CAN FOLKS THAT WORK ON ASSISTED LIVING FACILITATES.
WE PLACE THEM IN GROUP HOMES, IF THEY NEED GROUP HOMES.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THE NECESSITY FOR CIVIL COMMITMENT PROCEDURES.
YOU TALK ABOUT THAT PANEL [INAUDIBLE].
ONE OF THE FOUR CASES OF REENTRY.
THE CONCEPTUAL WAY WHEN OUR LEADERSHIP WAS THINKING ABOUT WHERE [INAUDIBLE]Â'Â' WE WERE A STANDALONE DIVISION.
THE CONTINUITY SYSTEM FOR Â'Â' IT WAS FOR ME BEAUTIFUL.
REENTRY IT IS CONTINUITY CARE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IN THINKING WHEN ABOUT REENTRY IS WE HAVE TO WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE DIVISION WITH TDCJ.
IF THERE'S MOMENTS WHEN THEY CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL, AND THERE'S A DEFINITE NECESSARY, WE WORK WITH OUR CHAPLAINS.
WE REENGAGE IN, HOW CAN WE WORK BETTER TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN OUR DISCHARGES.
NOW THAT WE'RE RELEASING, THEIR FAMILIES ARE COMING TO US.
WE HAVE MORE FAMILIES COMING TO PICK UP.
[02:25:02]
AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT FURTHER IN THE SYSTEM THAN WE WERE BEFORE.DR. LITH SAID IT'S VERY HARD IN THE COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM.
WE HEAR THAT IN THE DIVERSION PROGRAMS ALL THE TIME.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE GETTING RELEASED AT 5:00Â O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE HEARD ABOUT THAT AT 4:00Â P.M.
AND THEY GET OUT OF THE DOOR AT 5:00Â O'CLOCK.
WITHIN THE TDCJ SYSTEM, WE ARE SO RELIANT ON ONE ANOTHER.
IT'S BECOME EASY FOR REENTRY CASE MANAGERS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I'M TRYING TO BE BRIEF ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
WE RELY ON EVERY SINGLE FACET OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT MS. HOPKINS, THE FAMILY HAS BECOME A BIG CORNERSTONE.
>> THANK YOU, APRIL AND DR. LITH FOR THAT OVERVIEW.
YOU ONLY SKIMMED THE SURFACE OF THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE AND THE CORRELATION AND COLLABORATION YOU HAVE BETWEEN YOUR DEPARTMENTS.
COMING INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN JANUARY, ALREADY I KNOW THERE'S A FIVE PERCENT CUT THAT STATE LEADERSHIP HAS INDICATED YOU ARE TO TAKE, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED, FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT, IN THAT 5Â PERCENT, 1 OR BOTH OF YOU COULD PREVIEW, WILL THE AUDIT, WHO THOSE ITEMS ARE TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE RESOURCES, WHERE THE THINGS WOULD GO THROUGH THE SESSION.
>> HAVING CARE IS THE LARGEST LINE ITEM IN THAT BUDGET.
OUR HEALTH CARE FOR BOTH YEARS IS IN EXCESS OF A BILLION DOLLARS.
OUR MODEL IS THE ECONOMIC HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER MODEL.
ALL HEALTH IN TDCJ CONTRACT TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOLS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH PROVIDING 80Â PERCENT OF THE CARE, AND TEXAS PROVIDE THE REMAINDER 20Â PERCENT.
AS WE GOT THE BUDGET DIRECTIVE FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM, WE WERE INSTRUCTED ALL HEALTH SERVICES WERE EXEMPT FROM THE FIVE PERCENT, ALL OF OUR SERVICES, AND ALL OF OUR STAFF ENGAGED DELIVERING BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY CUTS [INAUDIBLE].
>> YOU MAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
>> I'LL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THAT.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY TO EVERYBODY HERE.
IT IS LIKELY THAT OUR CLIENTS WILL ENGAGE IN THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY SYSTEM OR EVEN TO THAT Â'Â' THE SYSTEM BECAUSE TO [INAUDIBLE].
WE ALSO REFER TO PARKLAND, IF THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO THE LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
OUR FUNDING WAS NOT CUT AT ALL DURING THESE FIVE PERCENT TIMES.
I THINK THE LEGISLATURE WAS SENT A VERY STRONG MESSAGE THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT IN THIS DAY AND TIME, AND FUNDS WAS NOT AFFECTED.
AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY STRONG MESSAGE, AND THAT WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT, AND I KNOW I APPRECIATE THAT.
ACROSS THE BOARD THAT MESSAGE HAS BEEN [INAUDIBLE].
>> WE'VE DEVOTED A LOT OF TIME ON MENTAL HEALTH.
IT HAS A FAIRLY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY ILL.
I WANT TO SHOW A FEW STATISTICS ON OUR NUMBERS.
WE HAVE 9,000 OFFENDERS WITH DIABETES.
[02:30:02]
WE HAVE 2,000 OFFENDERS WITH HIV.WE HAVE ROUGHLY 18,000 OFFENDERS WILL HEPATITIS C.
WE HAVE 200 OFFENDERS THAT ARE ON DIALYSIS TREATMENT WITH INÂ'STAGE KIDNEY DECEASE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CHRONICALLY ILL OFFENDERS.
AS THEY LEAVE THE SYSTEM, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE REENTER DIVISION IN ARRANGING FOR THEIR CONTINUITY OF CARE IN THE COMMUNITY.
IN PARTICULAR, OUR HIV PATIENTS, I'D LIKE FOR APRIL TO TALK ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN ENSURING THAT CONTINUITY IN THEIR MEDICATIONS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES ARE ON POINT.
>> THAT'S ONE PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FUNDS THAT HAS NOT BEEN CUT AT ALL.
IT COMES FROM FUNDING, AND THE MINORITIES AGENCIES OF FUNDING [INAUDIBLE] WE DO GET FUNDING THAT IS FUNNELED THROUGH THE HEALTH SERVICES, AND WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR A STAFF THAT, UM, THE UNITS THEY FILL OUT APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS SO THAT THOSE WHO ARE EXISTING OUR SYSTEM AND CHARGING THEIR MEDICATION ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT MEDICATION, NOT ONLY FILL OUT THE APPLICATION.
WE WENT TO THE MENTAL DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THAT MEDICATION.
WE SENT THAT TO PAROLE OFFICES, POST THE NUMBERS WHERE TO CALL TO CONTINUE THAT MEDICATION.
[INAUDIBLE] DOCTORS THERE, WILL BE A HUGE PRIMARILY [INAUDIBLE].
BUT THEY WILL CERTIFY THE MEDICATION, AND WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE IT THROUGH THAT FUNDING.
WE ALSO PROVIDE SERVICE SPECIALISTS IN THE PROCESS OF RELEASE ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER THEY ARE FLAT OR PAROLE CLIENTS.
THAT WILL CALL AND ENSURE THAT OUR CLIENTS STAY ENGAGED WITH THEIR MEDICATION.
CALL THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PARTICULAR CLIENTS HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH THAT CARE, AND IF THEY HAVEN'T, REALLY TRY TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED.
SO THAT'S BEEN A PROGRAM THAT HAD A LARGE SUCCESS.
WE INCREASED THAT ACTIVITY ABOUT 80Â PERCENT FROM WHERE IT WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO.
EVEN THINGS, AS OF LATE, CONNECTING [INAUDIBLE] CONNECTING THEM WITH THEIR MAP CARD, WHAT USED TO TAKE SOMETIMES UPWARDS OF 90 DAYS, WE ARE ABLE TO SECURE IN TEN DAYS BECAUSE WE HAVE CREATED A PROCESS TO DO THAT AS SOON AS WE WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR AND THEY DO ORIENTATION.
THEY ARE TRYING TO DO THAT IN ALL OF THE URBAN FAMILIES.
>> WE FIND THAT MOST FROM FAMILIES AND LOVED ONE'S, WHEN THEY COME INTO A SYSTEM LIKE THAT, THEY HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE ABLE TO TREAT AND MANAGE THEIR PROBLEMS. AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TDCJ, WE'RE THE SIZE OF A MEDIUMÂ'SIZED CITY.
WE HAVE AN EXPANSIVE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
WITH THESE TWO UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOLS, AND THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PROVIDER NETWORKS WITH COMMUNITY HOSPITALS ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE CAN'T BRING EVERYONE INTO ONE PLACE.
THE REST HAVE TO SET UP CONTRACTS WITH LOCAL UTMB, 140 COMMUNITY HOSPITALS IN THEIR NETWORK.
WE HAVE UTILIZE THESE COMMUNITY HOSPITALS FOR EMERGENCY ROOM CARE, FOR SOME DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES, AND ALSO FOR HOSPITALIZATION, IF THEY ARE TO RUN STABLE, TO BE MOVED TO THE PRISON HOSPITALS, WHICH IS ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN GALVESTON.
THE PRISON HOSPITAL IS A FULLYÂ'LINED HOSPITAL, IS ACCREDITED, AND PROVIDES ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL WOULD PROVIDE, AND EVEN MORE BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIGNATION AS A LEVELÂ 1 TRAUMA CENTER IN THE STATE.
TAKES A LOT OF PARTNERS TO PROVIDE THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS.
[02:35:01]
WE BROUGHT A LOT OF SERVICES ON SITE.EVEN, I MENTIONED THE DIALYSIS PATIENT WHEN THEY LEAVE THE SYSTEM.
THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO SO THERE'S NO DISRUPTION IN THEIR SERVICES WHEN THEY ARE RELEASING ON PAROLE OR IF THEY ARE FLAT DISCHARGES.
THE STATE HAS A DUTY TO ACCEPT THE PATIENT, AND SAY THEY ARE IN THE HARRIS COUNTY JAIL OR DALLAS COUNTY JAIL OR PARKLAND HOSPITAL SETTING.
AND WE'VE BUMPED UP TO THE FINAL DAY, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THEM, AND THEN WE ACCESS CID, THE CORRECTIONS INSTITUTIONS DIVISION HEALTH SERVICES ASSIST THEM.
I HAVE A WHOLE OFFICE OF REGISTERED NURSES, AND WE COORDINATE THEIR INTAKE DIRECTLY INTO THEIR PRISON HOSPITAL, IF HOSPITAL LEVEL CARE IS WHAT THEY NEED.
THEY GO FROM PARKLAND, TO THE HOSPITAL IN GALVESTON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES TO DO THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE FOR OUR OFFENDER PATIENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A HUGE SYSTEM TO MONITOR AND MANAGE WITH LOTS OF MOVING PARTS AND MANY ISSUES FROM AN AGING POPULATION ON DOWN, AND, UM, YOU ARE DOING A TERRIFIC JOB WITH COORDINATING AND COLLABORATING.
WHEN I SHARED THE BOARD, I WAS ABLE TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE TELE MEDICINE AND TELE HEALTH YOU WERE ALL TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BEFORE COVID HIT US, AND NOW IN OUR NEWFOUND LIVES, WE ARE SEEING THE BENEFITS.
I'D LIKE TO HAND OVER TO DR. DEL LA CRUZ, HOW YOU ARE UTILIZING TO HELP WITH THE PARKLAND PATIENTS AT LOCAL LEVEL.
>> WE ARE FOR THE CORRECTIONAL POPULATION.
WE'RE A LITTLE BIT INTO THAT PROCESS, AND THE ISSUE WE ARE ABLE TO DO IS FACEÂ'TOÂ'FACE CARE TO ALL OF OUR CORRECTIONAL HEALTH PATIENTS, INCLUDING OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENTS AT THE SITE, AT THE CORRECTIONAL HEALTH FACILITY.
MY COMMENT IN THE PAST, WE ACTUALLY BUILT THAT CORRECTIONAL HEALTH INFIRMARY.
IT'S ONLY OCCUPIED TO 20Â PERCENT.
IT HAS COME DOWN TEN YEARS AGO.
WE DO PROVIDE SOME CONSULTATION FOR SPECIALISTS FOR TELE HEALTH.
BUT SPECIALTY CARE IS LARGELY STILL PROVIDED BY COMING TO CAMPUS.
WE DO HAVE AN OBSTETRICIAN THAT PROVIDES, YOU KNOW, PRENATAL CARE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, AND WE PROVIDE DENTAL CARE ON SITE.
WE HAVE TWO CLINICS, AND TWO DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, AND WE CAN PROVIDE ALL DENTAL CARE PRETTY MUCH ON SITE OF THE CORRECTIONAL HEALTH FACILITY.
WE HAVE BASIC RADIOLOGY, AND SOME ULTRASOUND FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR PRIMARY CARE, AND FOR PATIENTS THAT REQUIRE POST DISCHARGE NEEDS.
WE CAN PROVIDE SOME BASIC WOUND CARE AND INFUSION THERAPY ALSO FOR [INAUDIBLE], ET CETERA.
FOR COVID, YOU KNOW, MY WORSE NIGHTMARE [INAUDIBLE] SUSTAINED OUT BREAK AT CORRECTIONAL HEALTH.
I'M PROUDLY TO REPORT THAT WE LEARNED MANY THINGS AND TO BE ADAPTABLE AND RESILIENT.
WE HAVE CONTAINED THAT LARGELY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICES AND THE, UM, SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM MOVING SO MUCH IN A JAIL.
THERE'S A LOT OF MOTION, CONSTANT MOTION OF PEOPLE, BOTH OFFICERS AND PEOPLE, WHO ARE IN JAIL.
WE CHANGING THAT, AND MODIFYING THAT.
WE HAVE INTRODUCED MOTION OF PEOPLE.
WE ENSURED THAT EVERYONE HAD MASKS, AND ARE ADHERING TO WEARING MASKS.
WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE IN QUARANTINE.
WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THAT IN CONTROL.
WE DO HAVE, EVEN MENTAL HEALTH ON SITE.
MAINLY WITH MENTAL HEALTH NURSING ON SITE AT NIGHT, AND WE HAVE TELE HEALTH OR
[02:40:02]
CRISIS CARE.IF THERE'S CRISIS CARE, WE HAVE A PHYSICIAN AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN TELE HEALTHCARE.
WE NEED TO TREAT THEM LIKE EVERYBODY.
THEY NEED TO BE TREATED LIKE ANY PATIENT.
I APPRECIATE THE JOB YOU'RE DOING.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE BACK TO CHRISTOPHER.
HE HAS A REALLY, REALLY GREAT STORY.
HIS ORGANIZATION WERE ABLE TO HELP.
CAN YOU GIVE US THE BUY LINE ON ISAIAH? YOU NEED TO UNMUTE, CHRISTOPHER.
[INDISCERNIBLE] SO MY ORGANIZATION Â'Â' ABOUT HELPING THE ISAIAH, HE COULDN'T READ OR COULDN'T WRITE, AND HE HAD MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS CHALLENGES.
AT FIRST I DIDN'T CONSIDER DOING IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS TO BEGIN WITH.
SO I WENT TO SEE HIM, AND WAS ABLE TO SIT TOWN AND TALK TO HIM, AND TO HIS FACE DOCTOR'S CARE, OF A PSYCHIATRIST.
HE WAS, LIKE, I'M ALLOWED THIS MEDICATION.
A LOT OF TIMES I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER MY NAME.
[INAUDIBLE] WE KIND OF Â'Â' I WAS LIKE [INAUDIBLE].
WHEN WE FIGURED THAT WE COULDN'T GET HIM EXONERATED, WE WERE GONNA WORK ON PAROLE.
YOU AND I STARTED WORKING WITH HIM ON HIS 37THÂ'YEAR WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON, AND SEES HOW ALL THE GUARDS WERE LIKE TALKING ABOUT, HE WAS A GOOD PERSON, AND ALL HE NEEDED WAS SOME HELP.
ONCE WE GOT EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL WITH THE PRISON, HE WAS ON Â'Â' I KIND [INAUDIBLE] TO THINK AS WHETHER TO Â'Â' DON'T PUT HIM UNDER SO MUCH MEDICATION BEFORE HE GOES IN FRONT OF PAROLE BOARD BECAUSE HE'S OUT OF HIS MIND WHEN HE IS TAKING HIS MEDICATION.
GOING IN FRONT OF THE PAROLE AND NOT REMEMBERING YOUR NAME, IT MIGHT HAVE AN EFFECT ON HIS MAKING PAROLE.
ONCE I TALKED TO THE PAROLE BOARD Â'Â' WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IT, HE HAD A FIRE YEAR SET OFF.
SO WHEN HE GOT OUT, HE HAD BEEN IN JAIL 41Â YEARS.
I STARTED ON HIS 37TH YEAR IN.
ONCE I GOT TO AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE PRISON BOARD AND PAROLE BOARD, WE ALL CAME [INAUDIBLE] THIS IS WHAT HE NEEDS.
IF WE ALL CAN GUARANTEE US THAT YOU ALL HAVE A PLACE TO STAY, AND MAKES HIM STAY ON HIS MEDICATION, WE'LL RELEASE HIM INTO YOUR CARE.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE IT UP ON MYSELF TO LEARN AND GO.
SO ONCE WE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT THE MEDS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO PAROLE AND HAVE A DECENT CONVERSATION WITH THEM TO LET THEM SAY, I'M COMPETENT ENOUGH TO GO BACK INTO SOCIETY AGAIN, SO I DID THAT.
I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO THE HEAD OF THE PAROLE.
WE SAT ON THE PHONE WITH THE STRATEGY FOR HIM, AND ONCE WE CAME UP WITH THAT STRATEGY, SHE SAID, "MR. Â SCOTT, I COMMEND YOU FOR HELPING THIS GUY.
EVERYONE THAT KNOWS HIM IS DEAD." THAT WAS LEFT UP TO ME TO MAKE SURE HE HAS EVERYTHING TO SURVIVE IN SOCIETY.
ONCE WE GOT HIM PATROLLED OUT OF PRISON, BEFORE HE GOT PATROLLED, IT WAS HARD.
SIMILAR FACT HE WAS THERE FOR 41Â YEARS.
HE WAS ON SO MUCH MEDICATION, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT DO TO FOR HIMSELF OR PEOPLE THAT LIVES INSIDE THIS PLACE.
I HAD TO GUARANTEE THEM HE WAS NOT GOING TO HARM HIMSELF OR ANYONE ELSE.
WE WILL PROVIDE HIM WITH EVERYTHING THAT HE NEEDS TO SURVIVE AND IN SOCIETY.
ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND SET HIM UP IN A RIGHT PLACE, HE STARTED
[02:45:05]
PROGRESSING INTO SOCIETY.I FEEL IT'S WRONG FOR A PERSON TO MAKE PAROLE AFTER ALL THE TIME HE HAS DONE, 41Â YEARS, AND DENY HIM 18 TIMES.
I UNDERSTAND HE DIDN'T HAVE HOUSING OR HE DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER MEDICAL CARE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T DO ENOUGH FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS.
THE CONVERSATION IS NOT SEXY ENOUGH FOR THEM PEOPLE.
PEOPLE ONLY LIKE SEXY CONVERSATIONS.
MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS IS NOT A SEXY CONVERSATION.
ONCE HE GOT INTO SOCIETY AGAIN, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE ON A DAYÂ'TOÂ'DAY BASIS, HE DID [INAUDIBLE].
BECAUSE PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIM SO MUCH.
THAT'S WHY HE WAS IN A POSITION THAT HE WAS IN.
A MENTAL HEALTH CARE PATIENT THAT WAS A KID, AND PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE IT.
WHEN HE GOT OUT, HE HAD THE SAME MENTALITY OF BEING TRUSTWORTHY.
AND I TOLD HIM THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED.
HE HAD BEEN INSIDE OF A HALFWAY HOUSE.
HE LIED ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CHURCH.
ONCE HE GOT OUT OF PRISON, HE ONLY WANTED TO ICE CREAM AND FRIED CHICKEN.
SO ONE DAY, HE WAS SITTING ON THIS STUMP WE HAD, AND ME AND JOHNNY.
WE USED TO TAKE HIM TO GET FRIED CHICKEN AND ICE CREAM AND SODA POPS EVERY DAY.
WE COULDN'T MAKE IT, AND HE GAVE A STRANGER 20 BUCKS TO GO GET HIM SOME CHICKEN.
HE SAID, THEY DIDN'T BRING ME MY CHICKEN BACK.
I SAID, YOU GOT TO TREAT THE WORLD LIKE YOU TREAT PRISON.
SO YOU MAKE SURE, WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU TREAT PRISON OR OUR STREET AS YOU DID PRISON.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM THE MEDICATION.
WE FELT, LIKE, THE MEDICATION WAS REALLY HURTING HIM HERE.
IN THE FIRST PLACE, UNDER OUR MEDICATION, YOU CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND ANYTHING.
ONCE WE PUT HIM OFF OF MEDICATION, AND HE GOT HIS LIFE BACK.
WE'RE FILLING OUT THE PAPERWORK AS WE SPEAK.
HOPEFULLY, IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND HE WILL HAVE HIS LIFE BACK AGAIN.
>> OH, MY GOODNESS, CHRISTOPHER, YOU HAVE JUST GIVEN US A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW WE NEED MORE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, AND THIS IS EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, DR. L AND APRIL HAVE TALKED ABOUT, INSIDE, HOW YOU GET TO HAVE THIS CONTINUITY OF CARE, AND DR. DEL LA CRUZ MENTIONED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
YOU INDICATED AND SHOWED ONCE THEY GET OUT, THEN IT DROPS OFF, AND THIS IS Â'Â' THE COMMUNITY HAS TO PICK UP, AND WHY REENTRY PROGRAMMING IS SO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE RAISED SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT HERE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, ISAIAH WAS ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE, BUT BECAUSE HE HAD NOWHERE TO GO, HE DIDN'T HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER, HE DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO PAROLE TO, THEN HE WAS BEING DENIED.
ALSO, IT'S THE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE THAT'S PART OF THE SITUATION THAT'S SO DIRE.
WE HAVE GOT SOME AREAS THAT WE GOT TO HONE IN ON AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO TIMING OUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO A VERY ROUND ROBIN WITH ALL THE SPEAKERS.
[02:50:03]
I WOULD LIKE IT IF YOU HAVE COUPLE OF SENTENCES, SOMETHING LEAVE THE AUDIENCE WITH.AND IT CAN BE ANY POSITION YOU TAKE, BUT I'D JUST LOVE FOR THE AUDIENCE TO HAVE ONE LAST COMMENT.
WHAT IS ONE THING YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE THE AUDIENCE WITH?
ONE FAMILY, WHO DO FIND THAT THEY HAVE LOVE ONES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING ANY TYPE OF MENTAL ILLNESS, THAT THEY MAKE SURE THEY DO THEIR PART IN GETTING EDUCATED ON HOW TO BEST SUPPORT THEM AND WORK WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
THEY ARE NOT Â'Â' UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THEY DON'T KNOW.
IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HELP OUR LOVED ONES TRULY SUCCESSFULLY REENGAGE, WE ALL GOT TO BECOME MORE AWARE, AND WORK TOGETHER.
>> [INAUDIBLE] MORE OPEN DIALOGUE AS WE HAVE NOW.
HAVING MORE RESOURCES FOR WHEN MEN AND WOMEN THAT GET OUT OF PRISON, AND HAVING PLACES THAT THEY CAN GO TO WHEN THEY COME OUT.
>> LAST SUNDAY WHEN I WAS COMING HOME, I SAW A MAN WITH SEVERE MENTAL DISTRESS OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE.
IT'S UNCOMMON TO SEE THIS, BUT NOT TO THAT DEGREE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL THE POLICE.
HE WAS AN A F R ICANÂ'AMERICAN, MIDDLE AGED MAN.
WHAT I DID WAS I USED MY RESOURCES.
I CALLED SOMEBODY AT PARKLAND THAT DEALS WITH THE SITUATION, AND ALERTED A TEAM CALLED THE RIGHT CARE TEAM.
THE RIGHT CARE TEAM IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN PARAMEDICS, DALLAS POLICE, AND PARKLAND.
SOMEBODY EVIDENTLY WAS CALLING 911, AND HAS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
THEY SENT HELP, TRYING TO DEFLECT THAT PERSON FROM GOING TO JAIL.
THE RIGHT CARE TEAM DOES NOT COME TO MY AREA, ONLY SOUTH DALLAS AREA ONLY.
IT'S GOING TO BE EXPANDED THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THEY SENT PARAMEDICS, AND THEY SENT THE POLICE WITHOUT THE SIRENS, AND I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE MAN WAS TREATED KINDLY, HOW HE WAS TAKEN CARE OF, HOW HIS PRIVACY WAS PROTECTED, AND SUPERVISED WHILE THE POLICE WERE SPEAKING TO HIM.
AND, UNFORTUNATELY, HE HAD TO GO BY POLICE CAR, BUT HE CANNOT GO TO THE HOSPITAL OR JAIL.
COLLABORATION AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX HELPS, AND IT WORKS.
AND RIGHT NOW, IN THIS CURRENT ELECTION CYCLE, YOU HEAR THAT HAPPENING IN MANY CITIES AND STATES.
WE ARE DOING IT HERE IN TEXAS, AND WE'RE DOING IT IN DALLAS, AND THINK OF WAYS TO AUGMENT THE RIGHT THINGS WE'RE DOING, AND HELP THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUR PATIENTS, AND THEY ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I WOULD SAY TO ANYBODY THAT THERE'S A HOST OF NUMBERS ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW, LISTENING TO HIS STORY, THE ONE THING I COULD SAY Â'Â' JUST THIS MORNING I GOT A CALL FROM THE PAROLE BOARD.
I THINK THAT COLLABORATION ONLY GETS STRONGER WITH TIME.
I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH CONVERSATIONS GOING ON OUT THERE THAT, UM, WHILE WE KNOW EACH OTHER, AND WE COLLABORATE EACH DAY, THE CONVERSATION IS GETTING LOUDER AND STRONGER, AND HOW CAN WE DO THE RIGHT THING, AND GET BETTER AND BETTER EVERY DAY.
BUT FOR FAMILIES, AGAIN, WE HAVE MS. HOPKINS CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WANT TO HELP AND LEND A HAND.
I DO FEEL LIKE OUR DIVISION WAS IN THAT PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO YOU.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THOSE NUMBERS.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON WHAT THAT POST RELEASE DATE IS GONNA BE, DON'T HESITATE.
[02:55:05]
IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN HANDLE BECAUSE IT'S A FLAT DISCHARGE OR STATE DISCHARGE OR OUTSIDE OF OUR REALM, JUST, LIKE, WE CAN CALL TO GET HELP IN DALLAS.WE WILL FIND A RESOURCE FOR YOU.
DO NOT HESITATE TO USE THE HOT LINE NUMBER.
WE WILL CONNECT YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE NUMBERS WITH EVERYONE.
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, DR. LITH.
>> I AM JUST HAPPY THAT MEDICAL AND MENTAL REENTRY HAS TIME, HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF REENTRY.
WE FOCUS A LOT ON HOUSING, DRIVER'S LICENSES, AND JOBS, BUT THE APPROPRIATE REINTEGRATION FROM A MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE IS CRUCIAL IN ENSURING THAT OFFENDERS REINTEGRATES BACK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HE OR SHE DOES NOT RECIDIVATE.
WE NEED THE FAMILIES TO PARTNER WITH US IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE.
WE NEED THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTNER US, AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US IN THIS EFFORT.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THIS AS A SUBJECT.
I HOPE THE LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS AROUND MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH REENTRY GETS SOME MOMENTUM, AND WE CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY.
AND CHRISTOPHER, OUR HEARTS ARE WITH YOU.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO, ALL OF US AS A GROUP ARE HERE TO HELP YOU PERSONALLY, OR OTHERWISE, LET US KNOW.
THANK YOU AGAIN, AND YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU, CHRISTINA CRANE, THANK YOU TO ALL THE WONDERFUL PANELISTS THAT WE HAD TODAY.
BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT PART OF THIS SUMMIT, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR HARRISTON AND I GOT A PERSONAL TEXT FROM AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, MAYOR HARRISTON, FOR YOUR CONCERN FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WE REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
I KNOW DR. LITHICUM APPRECIATES THE SUPPORT OF LOCAL LEADERS AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TO MITIGATE THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH, AN ISSUE THAT IS ONLY GETTING GREATER IN OUR IN OUR US FOR AS FAR AS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, DEPRESSION AND OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE MIND.
MAYOR HARRISTON, THE ALL-AMERICAN CITY OF LANCASTER, WANT TO JUST RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THAT, FOR YOUR CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS.
NOW, BEFORE I GO TO THIS NEXT PART, WHICH I KNOW ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, THE HOPE COMMITTEE, ARE VERY MUCH EXCITED ABOUT ANNOUNCING THE BEACON OF HOPE WINNERS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING THAT'S RATHER CONTEMPORANEOUS TO THIS PANEL DISCUSSION.
DOCTOR, DR. DELA CRUZ, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THE CONCERN THAT YOU HAD ABOUT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE THAT YOU SAW LAST SUNDAY WHO WAS HAVING SOME ISSUES, YOU WERE INTENTIONAL.
YOU WERE CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND YOU WERE CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE SYSTEMIC RACISM, THAT THERE THERE IS IMPLICIT BIAS IN OUR NATION, REGARDLESS AS TO WHO PROCLAIMS THAT THERE IS
[03:00:02]
NOT.THERE IS WE KNOW THAT THERE IS IMPLICIT BIAS IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND SO YOU DID WHAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS MANY TIMES DO.
NATURALLY, WE HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT CALLING LAW ENFORCEMENT SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT PERSON COULD BE THE NEXT TATIANA JEFFERSON, WHO THE CALL WAS JUST A WELLNESS CALL, BUT IT TURNED INTO SOMETHING FATAL FOR HER AND FOR HER FAMILY.
IF I COULD, I WOULD GIVE YOU A BEACON OF HOPE AWARD TODAY, DR. DELA CRUZ, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
NOW TO OUR WINNERS, THE BEACON OF HOPE.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHO THE WINNERS ARE, BECAUSE ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN FINALISTS IN THIS PROCESS WERE REALLY WINNERS BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT THAT YOU'VE MADE IN THE PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT YOU'VE TOUCHED.
SO THE FIRST PERSON THAT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I KNOW WE HAVE A VIDEO FOR HIM.
HE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE REGIONAL BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION, MR. JOHN PROCTOR, WHO PROVIDES MANY JOBS FOR RETURNING CITIZENS.
AND THESE ARE NOT JUST ANY JOBS.
HE UNDERSTANDS THE POWER OF A JOB THAT PROVIDES LIVABLE WAGES SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
SO THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE PROUDLY RECOGNIZES JOHN PROCTOR AS A 2020 BEACON OF HOPE RECIPIENT.
YOU ARE A PILLAR IN THE COMMUNITY, A VOICE FOR MANY UNDERREPRESENTED.
AND UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS, YOU'VE PROVIDED NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO RETURNING CITIZENS INFLUENCING THEIR LIVES FOREVER.
YOU ARE A LIVING EXAMPLE OF MATTHEW CHAPTER FIVE OR SIX.
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR THEY WILL BE FILLED.
THE WHOLE [INAUDIBLE] REPRESENTATIVE DOWN IN AUSTIN.
[INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE [INAUDIBLE] ASSISTANCE FROM US, THEY WOULDN'T GET THEIR ASSISTANCE AND JOBS ARE A MAJOR MAJOR ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY [INAUDIBLE] PEOPLE.
SO [INAUDIBLE] HIRE BLACK CONTRACTORS.
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO TAKE THAT RISK.
OVER 90 PERCENT OF OUR MEMBERS HIGH [INAUDIBLE] PEOPLE, AND WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DCCCD.
[INAUDIBLE] WANT TO THANK [INAUDIBLE].
SO WE GONNA KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
[INAUDIBLE] HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GREAT SUMMIT.
AND ENJOY YOURSELF AND GOD PLEASE ALL OF Y'ALL.
THANK YOU, JOHN PROCTOR, AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR CONTINUOUS WORK WITH THE REGIONAL BLACK CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION AND ALSO OUR SECOND RECIPIENT OF THE HOPE AWARD, THE BEACON OF HOPE GOES TO WE WANT YOU PROUDLY RECOGNIZE DARREN BABCOCK, DARREN BABCOCK IS A 2020 BEACON OF HOPE RECIPIENT.
[03:05:02]
IT'S KNOWN TO MANY.AND I KNOW THAT TODD WILLIAMS WAS ONE THAT REALLY, REALLY INTRODUCED ME TO THIS GENTLEMAN BY NAME AND KNOWING OF HIS WORKS.
WE WANT TO TELL YOU, DARREN, THAT SERVING AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BONTON FARMS, YOU ARE A LIVING [INAUDIBLE] OF MATTHEW, CHAPTER 19, VERSE 21.
IF THOU WILL BE PERFECT, GO AND SELL THAT THOU HAST AND GIVE TO THE POOR AND THOU SHALT HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN.
OUR GREAT SAVIOR SAID THOSE WORDS AND WE BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE LIVING EPISTLE OF THOSE WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR THE SOULS THAT YOU FEED.
DARREN BABCOCK, I GIVE YOU DARREN BABCOCK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, IT'S HUMBLING TO HAVE THOSE WORDS OF OUR CHRIST ATTRIBUTED TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
IT'S IT'S INCREDIBLY HUMBLING.
IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT'S ALSO A METAPHOR TO ME.
THERE'S THOUSANDS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES LIKE BONTON THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED ABOUT FROM THE SYSTEMIC RACISM OF OUR PAST.
AND MANY OF THOSE SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS REMAIN TODAY.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH 10 YEARS AGO TO GET INVITED DOWN HERE THROUGH A FRIEND OF MINE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN PRISON MINISTRY AND HAD A FRIEND OF HIS THAT WAS PAROLED, THAT HAPPENED TO BE FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I STARTED COMING DOWN HERE TO SERVE THAT GENTLEMAN.
AND HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO RECEIVE ME AND TO TEACH ME.
AND AS A GUY FROM THE SUBURBS, WHITE GUY THAT GREW UP IN THE WORLD I GREW IN, I WAS OVERWHELMED AND HURT THAT THE PROBLEMS I SAW THAT STILL EXIST IN PLACES LIKE BONTON, I WOULD HAVE BEEN A DENIER THAT WE'VE PROGRESSED AND MOVED PAST SOME OF THESE THINGS UNTIL I CAME FACE TO FACE WITH IT HERE.
AND IT WAS THROUGH THE INVITATION OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT THEY STARTED TEACHING ME ABOUT SOME OF THE SYSTEMIC THINGS THAT REMAIN THAT THAT ARE HORRIFIC BARRIERS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BORN INTO PLACES LIKE BONTON, THINGS LIKE FOOD ACCESS AND EDUCATION INEQUALITY AND LAX LACK OF ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS TO THE PARTS OF TOWN WHERE GOODS AND SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE ACCESS TO FAIR CREDIT.
AND I COULD GO ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE STARTED DECIDING AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE HAD THE POWER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT OURSELVES.
AND SO WE STARTED A WORK PROGRAM, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY LEARNED THAT WORK WASN'T ENOUGH, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO FOOD, AND THAT WAS A HUGE BARRIER.
IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WE SUFFER FROM MORE THAN DOUBLE THE RATE OF CANCER AND STROKE AND HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES AND CHILDHOOD OBESITY THAN THE COUNTY THAT WE'RE IN.
MANY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WILL LIVE 11 YEARS LESS THAN THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF A MAN IN THE SAME COUNTY THAT WE'RE LOCATED IN.
AND IF YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO TWO THINGS THE STRESS OF POVERTY AND THE LACK OF ACCESS OF HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE FOOD.
AND THAT GARDEN IS NOW THE LARGEST URBAN FARM IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE 40 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WILL PAY ONE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN WAGES BACK INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH CREATE HOME OWNERS AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT START TO SPAWN AS A RESULT, THERE'S AN ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT SPAWNED FROM OUR FARM THAT IS CONTINUING TO GROW AND PROVIDE DIVIDENDS.
NINE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE STARTED THIS WORK TOGETHER, NINE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE STARTED THIS WORK TOGETHER THE CITY OF DALLAS, HAD TRIED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO ROCHESTER, PART BECAUSE THE WORD BONTON HAD SUCH A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I'M VERY PROUD, AS ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, TO SAY THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS RUNNING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS THE LOWEST CRIME RATE OF ALL OF SOUTH DALLAS AND AMONG LOWER CRIME RATES ACROSS THE CITY.
AND SO OUR FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS PROVING WHAT OPPORTUNITY WILL DO.
RELATIONSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITY HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THINGS.
AND COMMUNITIES LIKE BONTON IN OUR CITY AND OUR STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE SO MUCH GOALS, SO MUCH TO GIVE, SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND SO MUCH TALENT TO OFFER, THAT WHEN THOSE BARRIERS ARE REMOVED, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE HAPPEN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IS THAT TALENTS COMING TO BEAR AND OUR PEOPLE ARE SHINING.
AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF IT AND HUMBLED AND HONORED THAT TO BE RECOGNIZED BY YOU AND THIS COMMITTEE FOR THIS AWARD.
WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE YOU AS A RECIPIENT AND A RECIPIENT, AS A INAUGURAL
[03:10:06]
RECIPIENT OF THIS AWARD, YOU, ALONG WITH THE OTHER RECIPIENTS, THE OTHER HONOREES, HAVE ESTABLISHED THE STANDARD BY WHICH FUTURE HONOREES MUCH MUST MEET IN ORDER TO BE RECIPIENTS OF THIS [INAUDIBLE].THANK YOU FOR THE REAL WORK OF TRANSFORMATION THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU FOR THE REAL WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
THAT'S HARD, THAT IT TAKES COMMITMENT TO ACTUALLY GET DONE, TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF PEOPLE'S LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND YOU'RE DOING THAT AND LOVE WHAT YOU SAID IN REGARDS TO MAKING THEM HOMEOWNERS.
I CAN JUST SEE YOU AND JOHN PROCTOR WORKING TOGETHER.
YOU CAN BUILD THE HOMES AND YOU CAN ENSURE THAT THEY'VE GOT THE RESOURCES TO BUY THOSE HOMES.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU TO CONTINUE TO FULFILL MATTHEW 19, VERSE 21.
NOW, THE NEXT RECIPIENT IS, YOU KNOW, NONE OTHER THAN A YOUNG LADY THAT I MET WHO SO LEFT EVERYTHING IN THE CORPORATE WORLD TO START THIS ORGANIZATION THAT ADDRESSES REENTRY ADDRESSES ALSO INCARCERATION ADDRESSES EVERYTHING ABOUT TDCJ AND SHE UNDERSTANDS IT FROM THE INSIDE AND THE EFFECTS THAT THE SYSTEM HAS ON THOSE COMING OUT.
AND SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANT TO GO IN AND SAY, YOU SEE HER FACE RIGHT NOW.
YOU'VE SEEN IT ALL DAY DURING THE HOPE SUMMIT OR BEAUTIFUL FACE THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE PROUDLY RECOGNIZES DAWN FREEMAN AS A 2020 BEACON OF HOPE RECIPIENT.
YOU HAVE DONE SELFISHLY ENRICHED THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS RETURNING CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND DEDICATED ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF HOUR RESOURCES AND ENERGY TO ENSURING A SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS REENTRY.
BECAUSE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT OUR THAT OUR NEIGHBORS, THE CURRENT RESIDENTS OF TDCJ THAT ARE THERE AND THOSE THAT ARE COMING OUT, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED HOLISTIC CARE, THAT THEY NEED HOLISTIC CARE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, DAWN FREEMAN, OUR NEXT RECIPIENT OF THE BEACON OF HOPE AWARD DAWN FREEMAN.
REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN, I DID NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD.
SO AS WE WERE PUTTING ALL THIS TOGETHER, I WAS RECOMMENDING AND GIVING OTHER NAMES.
AND THEN WHEN I SAW MY NAME COME UP, IT WAS VERY HUMBLING.
I'M JUST HONORED TO BE A PART IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN WITH THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE.
AND I'M ESPECIALLY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
FOR ME, ALL THE WORK THAT I DO IS BECAUSE OF MY OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY AND EXPERIENCES FROM, YOU KNOW, HAVING A CHALLENGING START BUT NOT GIVING UP AND HAVING OTHER PEOPLE SPEAK INTO MY LIFE AND BELIEVE IN ME.
AND THEN FOR ME PERSONALLY TO BE WILLING TO DO THE WORK TO COMPLETE MY EDUCATION, EARN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, EARN A MASTER'S DEGREE, AND THEN GET OFF INTO CORPORATE AMERICA.
BUT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME NOT TO REACH SOME PINNACLE IN LIFE AND NOT LOOK BACK TO THOSE THAT ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ME AND GIVE THEM A HELPING HAND AS WELL.
AND FOR ME, I SEE THIS AS MY GOD GIVEN PURPOSE TO BE ON THIS EARTH IS TO COME BACK AND LOOK FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL BEHIND THE WALLS, THOSE THAT MAY HAVE RETURNED HOME AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND HELP TO LEAD THEM TO THAT NEXT PATH SO THEY CAN FIND THEIR LIGHT AND THEIR PURPOSE.
AND IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR THAT TO BE WITH THEIR IN THEIR OWN FAMILY.
BUT IF THEY HAVE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT AND BE STABLE IN THAT WAY, TO ALSO REACH OUT A HELPING HAND AND LOOK OUT FOR THEIR NEIGHBOR, THAT IS OUR CHARGE TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES.
AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT ACROSS THE WORLD AND HOPE TO SEE ALL OF US PROSPER WITHIN
[03:15:06]
OURSELVES, MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT.SO THANK YOU AGAIN, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN.
MAN, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE JUST A NATURAL CHOICE TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE REAL HOPE AND DAWN OR DON FREEMAN IS THE MIND BEHIND EVERYTHING, OUR LOGO, THE ACRONYM, THE VISION BEHIND IT.
YOU HELPED SHEPHERD ALL OF US TO FOCUS ON THE ONE VISION WE HAVE IS TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES AND TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOME.
WELL, THE FINAL RECIPIENT BEFORE WE GET TO OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER, STEDMAN GRAHAM.
I SAID STEDMAN GRAHAM, STEDMAN GRAHAM, THE AUTHOR OF AT LEAST 12 BOOKS ON SELF-HELP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT THAT STEDMAN GRAHAM, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT WORKED WITH [INAUDIBLE] MANDELA IN SOUTH AFRICA, THAT STEDMAN GRAHAM.
AND YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN THE LONG TIME PARTNER OF OPRAH WINFREY, THIS LAST RECIPIENT.
IT'S GOING TO I'M GOING TO DO MY PART OF ANNOUNCING WHO HE IS AND THEN I'M GOING TO GIVE WAY TO DAWN MAN BECAUSE SHE HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL TO DO HERE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE PROUDLY RECOGNIZES SAUL PAUL.
SAUL PAUL, AS A 2020 BEACON OF HOPE RECIPIENT AND UNDENIABLE TALENTED MUSICIAN, USING YOUR PERSONAL JOURNEY FROM PRISON TO PURPOSE TO PROVIDE A MESSAGE OF HOPE, INSPIRATION AND EMPOWERMENT TO TRANSFORM LIVES.
SAUL PAUL, IN THE RIGHT SEQUENTIAL ORDER, DAWN FREEMAN.
[APPLAUSE] SAUL PAUL, I BELIEVE YOU'RE ON MUTE.
REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN, I'M HONORED.
THANK YOU TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
I WAS GOING TO READ THE ACTUAL CERTIFICATE, BUT IT SEEMS THAT YOU DID THAT.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A REASON TO PUT A SUIT ON.
I HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN SIX MONTHS.
I WAS QUITE EXCITED WHEN I WAS I RECEIVED THE NOTICE THAT I WON THIS AWARD.
IT WAS NO PRESSURE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS NOMINATED.
SO TO ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN AWARDED IT IS QUITE THE HONOR, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE COMPANY.
EVERYONE, EVERY OTHER BEACON OF HOPE AWARD WINNER IS AMAZING.
AND IT SEEMS THAT WE MIGHT ALL HAVE A CONNECTION TO FAITH.
I KNOW FAITH PLAYS A PART IN MY JOURNEY AND THAT'S WHY MY NAME CAME FROM SAUL PAUL.
IT'S THE NAME THAT I TOOK ON AFTER GOD DID A WORK IN MY LIFE, AFTER I WENT FROM SAUL TO PAUL, MYSELF.
I KEEP CHANGING IT EVERY YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M AN EX-FELON, EX-CON, EX OFFENDER, RETURNING CITIZEN OR WHATEVER WE CALL OURSELVES.
NOW, I JUST KNOW REGARDLESS HOW I GET TREATED BY SOCIETY BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND.
BUT NONETHELESS, I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO ON AND DO GREAT THINGS BECAUSE OF A FAITH MINDSET AND DILIGENCE.
AND SINCE I'VE SUCCEEDED, I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO SERVING OTHER PEOPLE.
I WAS BLESSED TO GO FROM BEING INCARCERATED IN A TEXAS STATE PENITENTIARY, CONVICTED OF 4 FELONIES TO GETTING OUT AND THEN BEING ACCEPTED TO THE PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, WHERE I GRADUATED WITH A 4.0.
AFTER I WENT FROM TRAGEDY TO TRIUMPH, AFTER I WENT FROM PRISON INCARCERATION TO COLLEGE GRADUATION, I JUST DECIDED I DISCOVERED PURPOSE AND I DECIDED TO WALK IN IT.
THAT WAS THE CHOICE TO WALK IN IT.
I CHOSE TO WALK IN IT, AND SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN BLESSED DONE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TWO TED TALKS, 5 SUPER BOWLS, AMERICA'S GOT TALENT.
EARLY THIS YEAR I WAS NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY, BUT WHO CARES ABOUT THAT NOW? I'VE ACTUALLY WON A BEACON OF HOPE AWARD, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
I SHALL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I DO.
IT'D BE HARD TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE WORK THAT I DO.
I JUST SERVE PEOPLE AND I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
OVER THE LAST DECADE, MY WIFE AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OVER A MILLION AT RISK YOUTH.
MY GOAL IS TO DETER THEM SO THAT THEY DON'T END UP IN THE SAME POSITION THAT I WAS IN.
I GOT ARRESTED BY THE FBI WHEN I WAS 17, GOT IN JUVENILE INCARCERATION, AND WAS IN THE PENITENTIARY BY TWENTY.
MY GOAL WAS TO DETER THEM BEFORE THEY GET THERE.
WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT THAT.
IT GIVES US THAT BOOST, THAT THAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR WHAT YOU
[03:20:06]
DO.BUT WE RECOGNIZE WHAT THE REAL PURPOSE IS.
OH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL USE MY REMAINING TIME TO SHARE A SONG WITH EVERYONE HERE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE TODAY.
I'VE SEEN SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE.
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO RISE AND BE THE CHANGE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT IT, BY THE WAY.
THAT WILL BE THE SONGS THAT I PERFORM, RISE AND BE THE CHANGE.
THANK YOU TO THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE, ENGAGED, ACCOUNTABLE, HELD ACCOUNTABLE, OTHER PEOPLE EXCEL.
YOU KNOW, IN THIS ROOM, [APPLAUSE] WE ARE ALL NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ASSOCIATED GRAMMY AWARD WINNING SAUL PAUL WITH THE BEACON OF HOPE AWARD, BUT WE ARE ALL NOW JUST [INAUDIBLE] SAUL PAUL, YOU CAN YOU CAN FOLLOW SAUL PAUL AT SAULPAUL .
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE HE IS A CONDUIT TO BLESS OTHER PEOPLE.
SAUL MEANS ASKED FOR, PRAYED FOR, ASK FOR, PRAYED FOR.
HE HAS GONE FROM SOMEBODY THAT NEEDED PRAYER TO SOMEBODY WHO IS HUMBLE AND RARE.
SAUL PAUL, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE FUTURE AND FOR YOUR WORK AND HELPING TO TRANSFORM AND ENSURE THAT MORE YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE PATH THAT YOU TOOK, BUT THE PATH YOU TOOK.
WELL, FOLKS, NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DAWN FREEMAN.
THAT'S RIGHT, DAWN FREEMAN, REAL HOPE, BEACON OF HOPE RECIPIENTS, HONOREE DAWN FREEMAN TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEXT BEST SHOW GUEST.
THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN.
EVERYONE, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED THE SURPRISE WITH SAUL PAUL.
I DIDN'T TELL YOU IN ADVANCE THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO A SONG.
BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A VERY SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU, AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE AND THE REAL HOPE COMMITTEE.
VERY TALENTED MUSICIAN WITH THE MESSAGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS, THE MESSAGE BEHIND THE WORDS.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. STEDMAN GRAHAM.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE TO NOW INTERACT AND WORK WITH MR. GRAHAM OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
HE IS DOING SOME AMAZING WORK IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN THEIR DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
HE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR, AS REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN STATED, OF 12 BOOKS.
BUT THE MOST RECENT IS IDENTITY LEADERSHIP.
[03:25:01]
HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING ABLE TO READ THAT BOOK ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO.AND I MUST SAY, WOW, IT DEFINITELY IS BEFITTING FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE BEHIND THE WALL, BUT EVEN THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, TO BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD, ONE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LEVEL OF SELF AWARENESS AND THEN YOU ALSO NEED MENTORS AND GUIDANCE TO HELP YOU REACH THAT SELF ACTUALIZATION SO THAT YOU CAN OVERCOME IT AND DO EVEN MORE AND MORE THAN YOU COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED.
SO WITH NO FURTHER ADO, MR. GRAHAM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE ABLE TO TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND UN MUTE YOUR SELF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, DAWN, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR AWARD.
MR. SHERMAN WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.
I WENT TO HARDEN SIMMONS UNIVERSITY IN ABILENE, GRADUATED THERE.
AND SO TEXAS IS KIND OF HOME FROM A LOT OF YEARS IN TEXAS LOVE IT.
AND SO I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE AND HUMBLED BY ALL OF YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND SAUL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT RENDITION IN YOUR LIFE, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT TO REALLY WHO YOU ARE TO BE ABLE TO REBOUND AND COME BACK AND ACHIEVE THE SUCCESS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE SHOWS THAT IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I WANT TO THANK ANDRE NORMAN AT THE ACADEMY OF HOPE HE INTRODUCED ME TO SOUTH CAROLINA PRISON ORGANIZATION, AND I'M SO GLAD TO BE WORKING WITH THEM.
THE INMATES, THEY ARE GOING AND TRAIN THERE DO TRAINING WITH THEM LIVE.
AND ALSO I'M ABLE TO DO TRAINING IN THE CORRECTIONAL WITH THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I WAS ONE.
I WORKED IN CORRECTIONS ABOUT FIVE YEARS, STARTED OFF IN AS A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER AND MCI ENGLEWOOD, FCI ENGLEWOOD, AND AND WORKED THERE FOR A WHILE AS A GUARD, WHICH SOME OF THE SOME OF MY BEST, BEST EXPERIENCES OF DEALING WITH PEOPLE.
I'M IN THE SOCIAL WORK BUSINESS SO THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY BETTER EXPERIENCE THAN I THINK THAN WORKING IN THE PRISON SYSTEM.
I WENT TO TRANSFER IT TO CHICAGO.
EVENTUALLY BECAME SUPERVISOR OF EDUCATION FOR MCI CHICAGO METROPOLITAN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE IN CHICAGO AND ENJOYED THAT EXPERIENCE ALSO.
SO I SPENT FIVE YEARS IN THE SYSTEM AND AGAIN, IT WAS A PART OF MY FOND MEMORIES IN TERMS OF MY OWN PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
I WANT TO ALSO THANK NINA STALEY, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR WHAT SHE DOES AND THE WORK THAT SHE DOES.
AND SHE'S JUST A VERY SPECIAL PERSON.
AND SO I AM GLAD TO BE HERE TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS, WHICH I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO ACTUALLY TEACHING PEOPLE HOW WHAT THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE.
AND WHAT I LEARNED THROUGH ALL OF THIS IS THAT THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS IS THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY.
NOW [INAUDIBLE] STATEMENT THAT THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS IS THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY.
THE DIFFERENCE IS SOME PEOPLE KNOW IT AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T.
SO I WAS JUST ON A PHONE CALL WITH A GENTLEMAN OR A TEXT CALL, AND I WAS HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE PANEL HE'S ON.
AND AND HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO I WORK IN THE SCHOOLS TRAINING PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A STUDENT PROGRAM THEY'RE WORKING ON.
AND AND I WAS JUST GIVING HIM SOME ADVICE THAT REMEMBER THAT THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS IS THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY.
AND AGAIN, ONE PERCENT UNDERSTAND THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T.
SO YOU GOT 99 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE, I THINK, IN THE WORLD WHO REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS AND HOW IT WORKS.
AND IT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE WE GET KIND OF STUCK IN A FIXED MINDSET.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A FIXED MINDSET THAT'S KIND OF AN UNCONSCIOUS STATE, WE
[03:30:04]
HAVE THE CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE UNCONSCIOUSNESS AND THE UNCONSCIOUSNESS KIND OF RUNS US AND IT RUNS US BECAUSE WE PRETTY MUCH ARE DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER EVERY SINGLE SINGLE DAY AN UNCONSCIOUS STATE IT WOULD BE OR A FIXED MINDSET WOULD BE.WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, WE WASH OUR FACE, WE BRUSH OUR TEETH, WE GET SOMETHING TO EAT.
WE GET THE KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL.
WE COME HOME IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE SPEND TIME WITH THE FAMILY.
AND ON TUESDAY, PRETTY MUCH WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING, WASH YOUR FACE, WE BRUSH YOUR TEETH, WE GET SOMETHING EAT, WE GET THE KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL.
WE SPEND TIME WITH THE FAMILY.
MAYBE WE DREAM THAT'S IT'S TUESDAY.
AND WE REPEAT THAT SAME CYCLE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
WE MAY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE WASH THE CLOTHES, WE GET THE KIDS OF TO ACTIVITIES.
SUNDAY, A LOT OF PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH.
WE EAT CHICKEN DINNERS IN THE AFTERNOON AND WE GET READY FOR WORK ON MONDAY.
AND WE DO THAT SAME SCHEDULE MOST OF THE TIME FOR ABOUT 30 OR 40 YEARS, WE LOOK BACK AND THE WE SAID WE HAVE NO MORE THE END THAN WE HAD IN THE BEGINNING AND MOST OF THE MISSING PIECE FOR ABOUT SEVEN BILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A FIXED MINDSET.
THEY ALL THINK THEY DON'T GROW.
THEY DON'T BUILD, THEY DON'T CREATE THEIR OWN FUTURE.
THEY DON'T DESIGN THEIR OWN DESTINY.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOPE, I KNOW, DAWN, YOU HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED REAL HOPE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOPE, IT'S GREAT TO HOPE.
BUT HAVING A PROGRAM OR PROCESS, ALL YOU HAVE IS HOPE.
YOU DON'T HAVE A PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO TAKE INFORMATION, EDUCATION, MAKE IT RELEVANT TO YOUR HEART, TO YOUR SOUL TRANSFER TO YOUR MIND SO YOU BECOME A THINKING HUMAN BEING AND TRANSFER THAT TO THE AMERICAN FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM OR THE GLOBAL MARKET.
SO ACTUALLY, YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE.
YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
NOBODY TEACHES YOU HOW TO DO THAT.
THEY JUST KIND OF TELL YOU TO GO TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, GET A JOB AND NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
BUT YOU GO TO SCHOOL WHEN THE SCHOOL TEACHES YOU HOW TO MEMORIZE AND TAKE TESTS, REPEAT THE INFORMATION BACK.
YOU GET A LABELED WITH A GRADE AND TWO WEEKS LATER, YOU FORGET THE INFORMATION.
SO YOU'RE IN A FIX MINDSET, A FIXED PROGRAM.
YOU COME OUT WITH A DEGREE AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE? AND I USED TO WORK REALLY WELL HAVING THIS FIXED MINDSET LIKE 30 YEARS AGO OR TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO, WHERE WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
THINGS WEREN'T REALLY GROWING.
WE'RE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE THE COMMUNITY WORKS AND WE GO TO CHURCH AND WE GO TO SCHOOL.
AND WE KNEW OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A GREAT JOB AND WE MADE MONEY.
WE EDUCATE OUR KIDS AND EVERYBODY HAS A JOB.
AND TODAY, THE GAME HAS CHANGED.
SO TODAY THE MARKETPLACE IS SAYING IF YOU'RE NOT GROWING IF YOU'RE NOT BUILDING, IF YOU'RE NOT DEVELOPING, IF YOU'RE THINKING AND IF YOU'RE NOT LEARNING.
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN IF YOU'RE NOT LEARNING.
SO THE KEY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MOVING FROM A FIXED MINDSET TO A GROWTH MINDSET OK GROWTH MINDSET IS UNDERSTANDING WHO YOU ARE.
A GROWTH MINDSET IS KNOWING WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
A GROWTH MINDSET IS THAT YOU'RE THINKING AND YOU'RE READING AND YOU'RE DEVELOPING AND YOU'RE BUILDING.
AND THE GROWTH MINDSET IS BEING IN THE PRESENT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND YOU.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY BE CONSCIOUS OF IT, BUT DO IT ENOUGH TIMES, BE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING SO YOU CAN PRACTICE ENOUGH TO WHERE PART BECOMES PART OF YOUR UNCONSCIOUS.
BECAUSE YOUR OWN CONSCIENCE IS YOUR HABITS, MOST OF THE TIME, IT'S YOUR OLD HABITS.
IT'S YOUR HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.
IT'S TIED TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.
SO TO BE ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF THAT TO TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT, MOST OF US DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I MEAN, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE INFORMATION OF HOW TO MOVE FROM A FIXED MINDSET TO A GROWTH MINDSET TO UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE, TO UNDERSTAND WHO YOU CAN BE.
AND IF YOU ARE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THAT'S A BLESSING.
ARE YOU OF AN ALL BLACK TOWN SURROUNDED BY WHITE COUNTY WHERE THAT SAID NOTHING EVER GOOD COMES OUT OF [INAUDIBLE] GREW UP IN THE FAMILY WITH TWO DISABLED BROTHERS AND MY FAMILY, TWO SPECIAL NEEDS BROTHERS, WHICH IS A TOUGH THING TO DEAL WITH.
I GREW UP WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM, A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF.
AND I HAD SO MUCH ANGER AND RAGE.
AND IF ALL OF YOU KNOW THIS, THAT THE ANGER AND RAGE, IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT ANGER, IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DETRIMENTAL THING THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY HAVE.
AND IF YOU'RE STUCK WITH THAT ANGER, YOU GET STUCK WITH THAT.
[03:35:04]
YOU JUST RUINED YOUR LIFE.IF YOU GET STUCK WITH ANGER, YOU CAN'T REALLY TRANSFORM AND YOU GET STUCK WITH ANGER.
YOU PRETTY MUCH YOU CAN NOT IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CREATE SUCCESS.
SO PART OF THE SUCCESS PROCESS IS NOT BEING STUCK WITH ANGER AND RAGE.
AND SO I GREW UP WITH THAT AND BASKETBALL WAS KIND OF MY WAY TO KIND OF ELIMINATE SOME OF THAT.
BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION, IF I HADN'T FOUND OUT WHO I WAS AS A PERSON OR HADN'T HAD SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUT OF MY COMMUNITY, THERE'S NO QUESTION I WOULD PROBABLY BE IN PRISON AS OPPOSED TO WORKING IN THE PRISON SYSTEM.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHO YOU ARE AND I CREATED A NINE STEP SUCCESS PROCESS, WHICH I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU, WHICH I CALL THE SUCCESS PROCESS.
AND SAUL KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THAT WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HIS SUCCESS AND WHAT WHAT IS WHAT IS THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS? I CAN TELL YOU THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS, BECAUSE THE PROCESS IS THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY.
HE FOUND SOMETHING THAT HE LOVED AND CARED ABOUT, AND HE TOOK THE AMERICAN FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM AND THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE AND ALL THE RESOURCES AND ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND HE APPLIED THAT TO HIS OWN PURPOSE.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DEFINE HIMSELF AS OPPOSED TO HOW THE WORLD DEFINED HIM.
AND SO WE ALL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF BEING LABELED.
AND WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED IN SCHOOL, YOU FORGET.
AND SO IF YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHICH IS NOTHING, EVERYTHING YOU LEARN AT SCHOOL IS NOTHING.
NOTHING FROM NOTHING IS NOTHING.
SO YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DEFINE YOUR EXISTENCE.
AND OFTENTIMES THE WORLD SAYS TO YOU, OK, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THERE.
SO I DEFINE YOUR OWN LIFE TO DEFINE YOUR LIFE FOR YOU.
I'M GOING TO DEFINE IT FOR YOU.
AND I'M A LABEL YOU, WHICH I GREW UP WITH, A RAGED BASED CONSCIOUSNESS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT WHITE AMERICA.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ABOUT GOVERNMENT.
SO YOU BECOME A VICTIM OF THAT AND YOU BECOME PROGRAMABLE AND YOU PRETTY MUCH HAVE PUSHED DOWN TO A CASTE SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES YOUR VALUE BASED ON THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN AND IS DETERMINED BY EVERYBODY ELSE, IS DETERMINED BY YOU.
AND SO YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF THAT BOX, YOUR LABEL, AND THEN THE WORLD SAYS TO YOU, WELL, YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
YOU DON'T HAVE NO SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS.
SO I'M GOING TO LABEL YOU BY YOUR GENDER AND IT TELLS WOMEN YOU CAN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE IT'S A MAN'S WORLD, ANOTHER LABEL, ANOTHER BOX.
AND THEN YOU'RE DEFINED BY FAMILY, LIKE I WAS DEFINED BY MY FAMILY WITH TWO SPECIAL NEEDS BROTHERS.
A LOT OF PAIN POINTS WITH THAT.
AND AND SO YOU'RE DEFINED BY THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG TIME, I WOULDN'T TELL ANYBODY ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN ALL OF MY TRAVELS, BECAUSE I WAS SO ASHAMED.
I HAD SO MUCH SHAME AND SO MUCH PAIN BEHIND ALL OF THAT.
AND AND SO YOU'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND THEN YOU'RE DEFINED BY YOUR RELIGION AND YOU PUT INTO A BOX BASED ON THAT AND YOU'RE DEFINED BY YOUR HOUSE AND YOUR CAR, YOUR MONEY AND YOUR TITLE.
AND THEN LATER ON IN LIFE, AS YOU KNOW, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'M IN A BEAUTIFUL I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE PARTNER NAMED OPRAH.
I'M OFTEN DEFINED BY THAT AND PUT INTO A BOX BASED ON THAT AND SO THAT ALL OF THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TAKE ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, IF YOU TAKE FAMILY, IF YOU TAKE RACE, IF YOU TAKE THE TOWN I GREW UP IN WHERE THEY SAID NOTHING EVER GOOD COMES OUT OF [INAUDIBLE].
IF YOU TAKE ALL THE LABELS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH, IT COULD BE KIND OF OVERWHELMING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE DEFINED BY YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OPRAH AND YOU'RE KNOWN AS OPRAH'S MAN AND PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME.
AND SO YOU PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU'RE BEING PUT INTO A BOX AND YOU'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT EMOTIONALLY AND YOU'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH THAT PUBLICLY.
AND PEOPLE KNOW YOU ALL AROUND THE WORLD FOR THAT.
SO YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TO TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO DEAL THAT, ESPECIALLY EARLY ON IN THE RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO IT MAKES YOU VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, WHICH IS REALLY A LIFE.
AN IMPORTANT THING TO HAVE IS MAKING YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU MAKE YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU START TO THINK, WHEN YOU MAKE YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU START TO DEFINE, WHEN YOU MAKE YOURSELF UNCOMFORTABLE, YOU START TO TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE SITUATION.
[03:40:07]
BUT MOST PEOPLE AREN'T UNCOMFORTABLE.MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THE WORLD UNCONSCIOUSLY, NOT KNOWING WHERE THEY'RE GOING OR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
THEY'RE IN THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND SET DOING THE SAME THING, FIXED MINDSET.
WE DID THE SAME THING YOU DID YESTERDAY AS YOU WILL TO DO TODAY, AS YOU WILL DO TOMORROW, [INAUDIBLE], JUST LIKE I SAID BEFORE, YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
YOU'RE JUST WAITING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY AND DETERMINE YOUR LIFE.
AND IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT FREEDOM IS THAT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FREEDOM, YOU'LL NEVER FIND IT ON THE OUTSIDE.
FREEDOM IS ONLY ON THE INSIDE.
WE TALKED ABOUT FREEDOM AND WE TALK ABOUT POSSIBILITIES AND WE TALK ABOUT NOW HAVING TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY TO DRIVE OUR EXISTENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY TO DISSEMINATE CONTENT AND INFORMATION ALL OVER THE WORLD.
BUT UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS AND HOW TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND APPLY IT TO YOUR PURPOSE, LIKE SAUL DID.
TRANSFER [INAUDIBLE] SO YOU BECOME A THINKING HUMAN BEING LIKE SAUL DOES, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T BECOME A GRAMMY WINNER.
YOU CAN'T BECOME THE TOP OF YOUR FIELD.
YOU CAN BECOME AN EXPERT IN YOUR MARKETPLACE.
YOU CAN'T BECOME AN AUTHORITY IN WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT GROWING.
YOU'RE NOT BUILDING AND YOU'RE NOT CREATING.
YOU HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO FOUNDATION FOR EVEN BEGINNING.
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SOURCE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION.
SO WE TALK ABOUT PRISONERS COMING OUT OF PRISON AND WE TALK ABOUT REENTRY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A PROCESS FOR SUCCESS.
UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GOT TO FIND YOUR PURPOSE, YOU GOT TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU LOVE.
YOU'VE GOT TO FIND YOUR PASSION.
YOU'VE GOT TO FOCUS ON YOUR TALENTS.
AND NOW THE 21ST CENTURY IS ASKING YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR SKILLS ARE.
WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE? AND HOW DEEP DO YOU GO IN DEVELOPING THOSE SKILLS AND HOW DO YOU TAKE THOSE SKILLS AND APPLY IT NOT TO THE AMERICAN FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, BUT TO A GLOBAL MARKETPLACE? HOW DO YOU BEGIN TO UTILIZE THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US? AND HOW DO YOU APPLY ALL THOSE RESOURCES, TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES AS A WAY TO DEVELOP YOUR EXISTENCE TO DESIGN YOUR OWN FUTURE, TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE MOUSE TRAP WORKED, TO BUILD A MODEL TO CREATE THE OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON THE CHANGING MARKETPLACE.
AND SO WHAT CHANGED MY LIFE IS THIS WHAT CHANGED MY LIFE IS MY ABILITY TO LEARN.
I UNDERSTAND HOW TO HAVE COGNITIVE ABILITY, WHICH IS LEARN HOW TO READ A BOOK AND TAKE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION TO GO BACK TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND AND ALSO SAYS THE PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE.
AND SO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE.
WE YOU'RE NOT EDUCATED WHEN YOU DON'T EDUCATE YOURSELF, WHEN YOU'RE NOT A LIFELONG LEARNER TODAY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, NO MATTER WHAT PROGRAM YOU'RE INVOLVED IN.
SO I'LL GO THROUGH THE NINE STEPS SUCCESS PROCESS.
THE NINE STEP SUCCESS PROCESS TO ME IS WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR ALL OF MY LIFE.
THE CLOSEST THING TO FREEDOM IS THE CLOSEST THING, THE EQUALITY THAT I KNOW OF BECAUSE I GET TO DEFINE MY OWN EXISTENCE REGARDLESS OF HOW OTHER PEOPLE DEFINE ME.
AND I DON'T TURN MY POWER OVER TO OTHER PEOPLE TO DEFINE MY WHO I AM AS A PERSON.
BECAUSE WHO I MEAN, YOU TURN YOUR POWER OVER TO WILL ALWAYS DEFINE YOU AS LESS THAN THEM .
SO YOU CAN NEVER AFFORD TO BE ABLE TO BE A VICTIM TO THE WORLD THAT YOU LIVE IN, BECAUSE THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE SAYS ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE.
NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDE IF IT'S WEAK.
NOBODY CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN'T DO.
NOBODY CARES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, IF YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THE TEAM, IF YOU'RE AN ATHLETE AND YOU ARE JUST AVERAGE ATHLETE AND YOU CAN'T THROW THE BALL WELL, YOU CAN CATCH THE BALL.
YOU'RE JUST ON THE TEAM, YOU JUST KIND OF AVERAGE.
SO WE KIND OF LIVE IN AN AVERAGE SOCIETY WHERE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY YOU'RE GIVEN AN AVERAGE PROGRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE TEAM, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE STAR.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE STAR BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS, NOT GOING TO BE THE STAR, BECAUSE YOU DON'T SHOW UP FOR PRACTICE EARLY ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE STAR BECAUSE YOU YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE WILLPOWER.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE DETERMINATION.
NOT BEING THE STAR BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE FUNDAMENTALS.
[03:45:01]
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE FOUNDATIONAL PIECE TO ALLOW YOU TO BUILD A STEP BY STEP FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD TEACHER.
YOUR PARENTS ARE SOMEWHAT INADEQUATE.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT INFORMATION YOU DON'T HAVE.
YOU'RE NOT IN THE RIGHT SCHOOL.
THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GET IN YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS DUMB DOWN.
YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
YOU'RE NOT HOOKED UP TO TECHNOLOGY.
SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE? YOU WON'T BE COMPETITIVE.
YOU CAN YOU CAN'T EVEN GET OFF THE GROUND BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A FOUNDATION TO ORGANIZE YOUR INFORMATION AND MAKING IT RELEVANT TO YOUR PURPOSE.
SO THE KEY IS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THAT.
I TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO MY MATERIAL BASED ON WHAT I'VE LEARNED, AND I GET A CHANCE TO DO A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BECAUSE I WORK IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS.
I WORKED IN THE PRISON SYSTEM.
I GOT TO TRAVEL AROUND IN EUROPE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS.
AND SO I'M VERY FORTUNATE NOW WORKING COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND HOW TO HELP BUILD COMMUNITIES, UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO I GET TO TRAVEL AROUND AND SEE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I UTILIZE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS A WAY TO ENHANCE MY OWN VALUE.
THAT'S WHAT IDENTITY LEADERSHIP IS.
SO IF I HAD TO DEFINE MY WORK, WE TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP IS EVERYTHING.
IT'S TAKEN ME A LONG TIME UNDERSTAND THAT.
IDENTITY LEADERSHIP IS SELF LEADERSHIP.
WHICH IS AKIN TO SELF MASTERY.
WHICH IS AKIN TO SELF EFFICACY, WHICH IS AKIN TO SELF EMPOWERMENT.
AND SO TODAY, THIS IS THE YOU ECONOMY.
THIS IS THE SELF EMPOWERMENT AGE.
THIS IS THE FOURTH GENERATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY AGE, THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONARY AGE, WHERE NOW YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOU GOT TO BE A THINKING HUMAN BEING.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO LEARN.
AND YOU CAN'T STAY ON FIXED MINDSET OF DOING THE SAME THING.
SO IT STARTS WITH THE FIRST STEP.
OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO DO THAT IN A NINE STEP SUCCESS PROCESS, WHICH I CREATED FOR MYSELF AND THEN REALIZED, OH, I CAN APPLY THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE.
AND THE FIRST STEP, STARTS WITH THE MOST POWERFUL WORD IN THE WORLD.
AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THIS WORD.
CHECK YOUR I.D., UNDERSTAND YOUR IDENTITY.
BASED ON FINDING LOVE IN YOUR LIFE.
NOW, THAT'S A VERY SIMPLE THING.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT GOD IS TO ME.
AND WHENEVER I HAVE LOVE IN MY HEART, THEN I HAVE A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AND I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE FLOW AND I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO MESS IT UP BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE MY MINDSET TO TO A LOVING MINDSET, CHANGE THE WAY I FEEL TO LOVING FEELINGS AND THEN CHANGE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M ATTRACTED TO CHANGE MY ENERGY LEVEL, OK, FROM WHATEVER I'M THINKING, WHICH COULD BE NEGATIVE OR I CHANGE IT INTO POSITIVE.
I HAVE [INAUDIBLE] I'VE BEGUN TO TRANSFORM MY LIFE.
JUST THAT, JUST THAT, OK, SO WE CAN MOVE FROM AN ANGRY STATE, RIGHT, TO A LOVE STATE TO A MINDSET, AND THEN TRANSFER THAT TO OUR FEELINGS AND THEN TRANSFER THAT TO A A PROGRAM THAT WE CAN WORK ON BASED ON WHAT WE LOVE.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES AROUND THE MOST POWERFUL WORD IN THE WORLD.
SO WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? I'M TALKING ABOUT SIMPLY THIS.
ORGANIZE IT AND BE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT YOU LOVE IN YOUR LIFE.
WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS? WHAT'S YOUR PURPOSE? WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? WHAT ARE YOUR TALENTS? WHAT ARE YOUR SKILLS? WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU CARE ABOUT? OK, AND THEN ORGANIZE THAT.
SO YOU BECOME CONSCIOUS OF WHAT THAT IS.
OK, SO YOUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DISCOVER YOURSELF, TO ORGANIZE YOURSELF AROUND LOOKING AT THE GLASS HALF FULL AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING AT THE GLASS HALF EMPTY, SO YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE THOSE THINGS AROUND, THOSE THINGS THAT YOU ACTUALLY CAN DO.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR YOU AND WHAT IS THE ANSWER? IN AMERICA, THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE WHERE
[03:50:02]
WE HAVE FREE SCHOOLS, WHEN WE HAVE BUSSES PICKING KIDS UP IN THE MORNING TO GO TO SCHOOL, WHERE WE HAVE ACCESS TO LIBRARIES AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND ACCESS TO COMMERCE AND ACCESS TO CAPITALISM AND ACCESS TO WALL STREET AND ACCESS TO ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RELEVANT [INAUDIBLE] DEVELOPMENT.AND SO OUR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE IS THE GIFT HERE.
HOW DO WE TAKE THAT GIFT AND MAKE IT POWERFUL? HOW DO WE TAKE THAT GIFT AND MAKE IT INFLUENTIAL AND WE TAKE THAT GIFT AND ORGANIZE IT? NOT ABOUT THE MONEY.
THE MONEY IS JUST A TOOL TO ENHANCE YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS, BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE CLARITY AND BE CLEAR AROUND WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
OK, SO NOW WE KNOW THE FOUNDATION OF OUR EXISTENCE HAS TO FOCUS ON LOVE.
SO REHABILITATION IS ABOUT TRANSFORMING YOUR FEELINGS FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE.
AND SO YOUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET RID OF THE ANGER AND THE RAGE.
WELL, OK, THAT'S NOT GOING HAPPEN IN A DAY.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN A WEEK.
AND IF THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR EXISTENCE IS NEGATIVE.
RIGHT, THEN HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? WELL, I HAVE TO WORK ON IT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION OF MY EXISTENCE, A NEGATIVE TRANSFORMATION, IS WHEN I TRANSFORM THE NEGATIVE TO THE POSITIVE.
WHAT DOES THAT REQUIRE THAT REQUIRES ME TO BE IN A PRESENT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND SEE, YOU GO BACK TO WHAT THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR EXISTENCE, WHICH YOU START THINKING NEGATIVE.
AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO DISRUPT THAT.
THIS IS THIS IS THE AGE OF DISRUPTION TO THE RIGHT, DISRUPTING THAT MINDSET, BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE ONLY ONE THOUGHT AT THE TIME.
SO OUR FOCUS HAS TO BE ON FOCUSING ON OUR PASSION AND WHAT WE LOVE.
SECOND STEP, OK, YOU GOT TO HAVE A VISION.
THE GOOD BOOK SAYS, WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH, SO I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND IN JAIL OR HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND IN PRISON.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHO YOU CAN BECOME.
WHAT TALENTS DO YOU HAVE? WHAT'S YOUR INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY LIKE, THAT'S WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
HOW STRONG ARE YOU? YOU KNOW, HOW RESILIENT ARE, YOU KNOW, HOW QUICK ARE YOU WHAT ARE YOU CAPABLE OF LEARNING? SO THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE WOW, YOU KNOW, A VISION AROUND WHO YOU CAN BE AND TAKE THE RESOURCES OF AMERICA AND THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE AND MAKE THAT RELEVANT TO YOUR DEVELOPMENT SO YOU CAN CHANGE.
I FOCUS ON MY PASSION WHAT I LOVE CARE ABOUT I'VE GOT A VISION.
I'M ORGANIZING THE WHOLE WORLD.
WHAT'S YOUR PLAN LOOK LIKE? SO YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THAT DOWN, ORGANIZE THAT, BUILD IT OUT.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T WRITE IT DOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO FORGET IT.
MASTER THE RULES OF THE ROAD, YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
WHAT ARE THEY? THOSE ARE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE YOU.
THAT'S YOUR VALUE SYSTEM THAT'S TIED TO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUE SYSTEMS I KNOW, WHICH IS TRUST.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRUST YOU.
AND SO THAT IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO BASED ON OUR BACKGROUND AND WHAT WE WERE TAUGHT, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE LIVE OUT OF OUR HISTORY AS OPPOSED TO OUR IMAGINATION.
BUT WE CAN CHANGE AND WE CAN WORK ON THAT.
SO TRUST IS TIED TO YOUR NAME.
THE VALUE THAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF IS THE VALUE THE WORLD GIVES YOU.
THE WORLD SEES YOU AS YOU SEE YOURSELF.
DETERMINATION, PERSEVERANCE IS ALL GREAT.
VALUE SYSTEM MASTER THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
STEP FIVE, STEP INTO THE OUTER LIMITS.
WHAT ARE YOUR FEARS? WHAT ARE YOUR BARRIERS TO SUCCESS? SO HOW DO YOU OVERCOME FEARS? IS A STEP BY STEP PROCESS OF BEING AWARE OF IT AND THEN MICROMANAGING THAT AND THEN BEING GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO, OVERCOMING THOSE FEARS AND SMALL STEPS.
PILOT THAT'S EASY TO CHANGE IS WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY, WITH ALL THE CHANGES WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
ONE OF THOSE CHANGES, ARE WE ARE WE ADAPTABLE TO THOSE CHANGES? CAN WE ADAPT? YOU KNOW, ARE WE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME? ARE WE SUSTAINABLE? ARE WE CONSISTENT IN OUR BEHAVIOR? CAN WE DEVELOP THOSE HABITS AND THOSE ROUTINES THAT ALLOW US TO IMPROVE UPON STEP SEVEN? BUILD YOUR DREAM TEAM.
[03:55:01]
NO MAN OR WOMAN IS AN ISLAND UNTO THEMSELVES.YOU CANNOT MAKE IT BY YOURSELF.
AND YOUR TEAM IS ALWAYS PREDICATED ON HOW STRONG OR WEAK YOU ARE AS A PERSON.
A STRONG PERSON ATTRACTS A STRONG TEAM, A WEAK PERSON ATTRACTS A WEAK TEAM.
A VERY IMPORTANT STEP, AGAIN, IT'S A LEARNING STEP.
[INAUDIBLE] BY DECISION, BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO ORGANIZE INFORMATION SO YOU CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, IS BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE KNOWLEDGE.
AND THIS IS THE INFORMATION AGE.
THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE MONETIZING INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CONTENT WE'RE DELIVERING TO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THE INTERNET CAN TAKE ALL OF THIS CONTENT.
SO WE'RE IN THE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS WE'RE IN AND WE'RE CONTENT TODAY IS EVERYTHING.
SO IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU THINK.
IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU DO THINGS.
LAST STEP, COMMIT TO YOUR VISION.
SO COMMIT TO YOUR VISION AS BEING ABLE TO TRANSFORM.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TRANSACTIONAL TRANSFORMATION.
I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT DO WE'RE NOT TRANSACTIONAL MODE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE WAY THAT YOU THINK AND FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF.
IT'S YOUR THINKING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
SO WHEN I MEET A PERSON, I'M THINKING, HOW DOES THIS PERSON THINK.
SO THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S AKIN TO THE WORD YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR PARADIGM.
CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR LEVEL OF OPERATION, CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR TRAJECTORY? CAN YOU SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN THE WORLD? CAN YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY AS A WAY TO DRIVE YOUR EXISTENCE, TO TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT LEVEL? CAN YOU FIGURE OUT A BETTER MOUSETRAP? SO I WANT TO SEE A PARADIGM SHIFT.
I DON'T WANT YOU DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER EVERY SINGLE DAY IN A TRANSACTIONAL MINDSET.
YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNLESS YOU CAN TRANSFORM THOSE THOUGHTS INTO SOME BIGGER AND HIGHER BASED ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR YOU.
SO WE GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, TRANSFORMATION AS A WAY TO TO TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
AND IT'S POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT'S POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE, SO I AM SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO I HAD A LITTLE POEM I WANTED TO FINISH UP, BUT RIGHT NOW I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND YOU'RE SO COMMITTED.
AND I'M SO GLAD TO BE A PART OF THIS, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND TO BE A PART OF TODAY'S CONFERENCE AS A SPEAKER.
AND I HOPE YOU GOT SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
AND I HOPE IT HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT YOUR NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH [INAUDIBLE].
WHAT DID YOU SAY> DO YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SHARE YOUR POEM AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO REPRESENTATIVE SHERMAN TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
OK, SO THIS KIND OF SUMS IT UP.
AND SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW THIS IS CALLED INVICTUS.
AND IT'S BY WILLIAM, WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY.
AND IT SAYS OUT OF THE NIGHT THAT COVERS YOU BLACK AS THE PIT FROM POLE TO POLE.
I THINK WHATEVER GODS MAY BE FOR MY UNCONQUERABLE SOUL IN THE [INAUDIBLE] OF CIRCUMSTANCES [INAUDIBLE] BEYOND THIS PLACE OF WRATH AND TEARS LOOMS BUT THE HORROR OF THE SHADE.
AND YET THE MINUTES OF THE YEAR SHALL FIND ME AND SHALL FIND ME UNAFRAID.
IT MATTERS NOT HOW STRAIGHT THE GATE, HOW CHARGED WITH PUNISHMENTS THE SCROLL.
THANK YOU, STEDMAN GRAHAM, THE STEDMAN GRAHAM.
LAST YEAR, WE WENT FROM THE JUDICIAL BENCH BY HAVING JUDGE [INAUDIBLE], WHO WAS THE PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE AMBER GEIGER CASE TO THIS YEAR GOING FROM THE JUDICIAL BENCH TO THE [INAUDIBLE] THE COURT OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND SELF EFFICACY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE U.S.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE WORLD AS A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER.
YOU ARE COMPELLING A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING OURSELVES HERE IN THE STATE
[04:00:04]
OF TEXAS, TO CHANGE OUR TRAJECTORY.THANK YOU FOR THOSE NINE STEPS.
VERY HELPFUL AROUND THIS CONFERENCE TABLE.
WE WERE TAKING A LOT OF NOTES.
AND SO I'M JUST EXCITED, YOU KNOW, GOING FROM A FIXED MINDSET TO A GROWTH MINDSET, IF YOU WILL, BEING CONSCIOUS AND DOING DOING IT ENOUGH THAT IT BECOMES UNCONSCIOUS.
SIMPLY PUT, IT BECOMES A HABIT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT, BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO TO THAT.
COULD YOU SAY THAT LAST PART AGAIN? I' LET YOU SAY A FEW WORDS TO CLOSE US OUT FOR THE OCTOBER 2020 VIRTUAL SUMMIT.
LET ME LET ME JUST SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU AGAIN TO STEDMAN GRAHAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A PART OF YOUR ROLE.
AND PARTICIPATION HAS ALSO ATTRACTED MORE PEOPLE TO THIS CALL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE NOT ONLY DOING IN THE STATES MENTIONED, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IT MEANS SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO USHER AND SHEPHERD THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SO BUSY, FROM OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN.
WE MUST MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN NOW.
AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, WE WOULD LOSE OUR AUDIO RIGHT AT THE END, BUT I'M GRACIOUS AND GLAD THAT IT WAS AT THE END FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.
WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THIS AMAZING, AMAZING SUMMIT.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE YOUR ACTIONS AND DEDICATION AND WITNESS THAT WHAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE TABLE IN FEBRUARY WAS SOLIDIFIED IN THAT.
THANK YOU TO YOUR SON, VISIONARY CHAD ROBERTS, WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF THE CHARIOTS OF FIRE, WHO HAS MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES.
THANK YOU TO MY GREAT INTERNS, LESLIE TAYLOR, MARIE [INAUDIBLE] AND [INAUDIBLE] HERRERA.
THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU TO MY DISTRICT DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] TO MY LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, [INAUDIBLE] RUSSELL.
THANK YOU TO MY PRESS SECRETARY [INAUDIBLE] T ODAY, SHE'S HEADING OVER NOW.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE VIRTUAL HOPE SUMMIT.
WE HOPE YOU HAVE A BLESSED AND HEALTHY AND HAPPY WEEKEND.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY TUNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.