Committee Hearing, March 8, 2006

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, March 8, 2006 10:25 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN MICHAEL A. NUTTER COUNCILMAN JUAN RAMOS COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILLS 060001, 060002, 060003, 060004, 060006, 060007, 060008, 060014, 060089 and 060090. RESOLUTIONS 060019, 060099, 060100 and 060119 - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2

Good morning, everyone. This is the continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. I would ask Mr. McPherson to please call our first witness. MR. McPHERSON: The Philadelphia Prisons.

Good morning. COMMISSIONER KING: Good morning, Madam President.

Nice seeing you. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. COMMISSIONER KING: Leon King, Commissioner of Prisons.

Thank you. COMMISSIONER KING: President Verna and members of City Council, I am Leon King, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Prison System. Thank you 3 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. for this opportunity to present testimony regarding our Fiscal '07 operating request. At the Prison System, our greatest challenge is to provide cost-effective services for the taxpayers of the City of Philadelphia, while providing a safe, secure and humane correctional environment that adequately detains persons accused or convicted of illegal acts. In FY06, we are meeting the challenge to provide these services to an inmate population that has averaged 8,410 for the fiscal year to date, beginning February 7, '06, and has exceeded 8,600 inmates at times during the months of September and October of 2005. The FY07 proposed operating budget assumes an inmate population of 8,500 inmates. million more than our FY06 estimated obligation level. The FY07 General Fund Class 100 request of $106,716,560 is 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. expected to fund 2,300 full-time positions. The General Fund Class 200 request of $81,973,591 provides for increased costs of inmate medical services and maintenance services for the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and the Riverside Correctional Facility. The requested funding level for Classes 300 and 400 remains the same as the FY05 estimated obligation level, but is an increase of 890,000 over the FY06 appropriation. Inmate work payments, Class 500, remain the same as the previous year. Over the past several years, the Prison System has worked in partnership with numerous organizations, including the First Judicial District, the District Attorney's Office and other court-related agencies, to develop alternatives for sentencing people to prison. A variety of programs have been used to divert offenders from prison to treatment and lower inmate recidivism, 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. such as electronic monitoring, community service, drug treatment and the Forensic Intensive Recovery Program. For many convicted of minor crimes, providing alternatives to a prison sentence is preferable, since studies have documented that these alternatives can deter a participant's progression to more serious crimes. With the cost of housing one prisoner averaging $88 a day, diversion programs have the potential for substantial savings. The City has three initiatives that aggressively address the growth of the inmate population. First is an IT initiative that will enable us to identify specific demographics of the inmates incarcerated in the PPS. This will help us identify trends and groups of inmates that the PPS may target for release to control the population. Second, the Mayor's Office for the Reentry of Ex-Offenders addresses 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. challenges that offenders face when they are released and assist them in returning to their communities. This initiative is discussed further below in my testimony. The third initiative is the Goldkamp Study, which will take a comprehensive look at the inmate population and all the justice partners in Philadelphia and make recommendations to mitigate some of our population challenges. Delaware County: Late in 2005, the Philadelphia Prison System was informed that the contract with Delaware County to house inmates would not be renewed. The PPS was faced with the challenge of reintegrating 350 inmates held at Delaware County back into the PPS campus. We were successful in reacquiring the use of the Cambria Community Center, which now houses 200 inmates. The PPS continues to explore opportunities for new leased space to meet its ongoing needs. 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

The Goldkamp Study: Faced with the realization that the City of Philadelphia cannot continue to add prison space to the PPS, we have contracted with Temple University, under the direction of John Goldkamp, to conduct a comprehensive study of the causes and remedies of the census growth. This study is examining all of the justice partners in Philadelphia and will yield recommendations on changes that can be made within the criminal justice community to relieve our population challenges. Staffing: With the loss of the Delaware County contract to house inmates, the PPS has proposed hiring more correctional officers. The FY07 budget assumes 1,757 correctional officers up from 1,639 in December of 2005. An analysis of overtime versus hiring has shown that the hiring of these additional officers is cost neutral to the City over the Five-Year Plan period. In exchange, 8 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. the PPS has pledged to reduce overtime by an equivalent amount over the cost of the new hires. The PPS has a proven record of reducing overtime when new staff are hired and by looking at every aspect of how we do business. Our CORESTAR Unit challenges our managers to justify statistical information concerning their divisions on a monthly basis in an effort to save money and be certain that we are doing business in the most effective way possible. This initiative will be partially funded with Class 200 savings achieved by the cancellation of the Delaware County contract. Contain the Cost of Medical Care: The Philadelphia Prison System needs to control the rising tide of inmate health costs. Medical costs for the PPS have increased at a 13 percent annual rate, from million in FY02 to 23 more than 50 million in FY06. The PPS 24 faces several challenges in its attempt to control the healthcare costs. The PPS 9 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. has experienced a growth in population of four to five percent over the last two years. We face an inmate population with significant medical and mental health issues at the time of admission. The Prison System has taken steps to control its costs. The Prisons Contract Unit has negotiated reduced hospital and physician rates for many hospitalizations that were based on standard terms such as Medicaid and Medicare instead of billed charges. We've added discharge coordinator services to the current mental health contract to more effectively link persons of severe mental illness with community-based services. The PPS, in conjunction with other justice partners, has vigorously pursued compassionate discharges for inmates with serious medical issues who have non-violent charges. We are exploring the use of an alternative pharmacy provider based on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 10 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. contracts, the Commonwealth's medical staffing contract, and hiring a firm to do utilization and claim management of outside hospital costs. The PPS has also partnered with MP Dugan Associates to develop a strategic plan for medical care at the PPS to ensure that we are using the best and most cost-effective practices in administering healthcare to the inmates. Invest in Programs That Reduce Recidivism and Aid in Reentry: Prisoners face numerous barriers to successful reintegration into the community, such as difficulties finding safe, affordable housing and steady jobs upon release from custody. When former prisoners are unable to successfully reintegrate, the likelihood of reverting to a life of crime is high. Communities pay the cost in terms of high public safety costs, victimization, reduced economic opportunity and quality of life problems. Successful prisoner reentry in the 11 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. community is critical to reducing the recidivism rate and ultimately reducing the prison population.

In response to the urgent need to stem the burgeoning growth of Philadelphia's Prison population, the Mayor created the Mayor's Office for the Reentry of Ex-Offenders, also known as MORE, to serve as a coordinating office for these diverse services and resources aimed at assisting ex-offenders in their attempts to successfully reintegrate into their communities. MORE will pursue this mission by convening an advisory council that will help to develop a City-wide agenda for reentry and will also advise the Administration in regards to reentry/reintegration concerns; identifying resources that can be employed in reentry endeavors; creating partnerships and synergies between existing agencies whose services impinge upon reintegrating ex-offenders; 12 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. fostering an atmosphere through education advocacy and action that highlights the need and value of successful ex-offender reintegration; and also by building a practical operating structure that will provide direct assistance to reintegrating ex-offenders. Recognizing that reducing inmate population and the prison budget will require a multi-faceted approach. The PPS has maintained and expanded a number of programs in an effort to reduce recidivism and improve reentry services and increase the chance of a successful reentry into the community. Through the Opportunities for Prevention and Treatment Interventions for Offenders Needing Support, OPTIONS, the PPS provides addiction treatment services, including evaluation, education and counseling, to inmates in intensive residential units called therapeutic communities and in moderate outpatient units. 13 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. OPTIONS serves as the first step in the continuum of care from prison to the community. Sentenced inmates participating in this program begin family therapy while still incarcerated. Upon completion of OPTIONS, PPS inmates can be paroled early or sentenced to participate in the Forensic Intensive Recovery Program, or FIR. Directed by the City's Department of Health, FIR is an early parole and re-parole program designed to provide community-based drug and alcohol treatment as an alternative to incarceration. The goals of the program are threefold: Reduce prison overcrowding, decrease recidivism and enhance community safety. The OPTIONS program began in 1973 -- that's an error there -- and encompasses more than 50 drug and alcohol programs that provide clinical evaluation, residential treatment and intensive outpatient treatment, along with a full spectrum of criminal justice and social services. 14 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. PLATO, Program Learning Through Alternative Teaching Options, is a computer-based education program that provides GED and adult basic education, post high school course work, literacy and English as a second language instruction, in addition to training in computer literacy, parenting, life and employability skills, substance abuse and health. The Jobs Project: The main focus of the Jobs Project is to aid in job training, job readiness and employment. A major goal of the program is to place ex-offenders who have successfully completed the Jobs Project in a job when they are released from prison and to provide them with case management and other services out of prison, through the assistance of reentry partners such as Impact Services and the Pennsylvania Prison Society. For those who complete the Jobs Project and are not able to be paroled and/or re-paroled, a 15 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. new initiative to have them placed in the work release program as part of reentry and transitional services is being coordinated with the assistance of Byron Cotter from the Public Defender Association.

All Jobs Project participants are expected to attend community meetings, participate in workshops on anger management, victim awareness, health issues and life skills training, enroll in OPTIONS or Fatherhood Initiative, as appropriate, and connect with a reentry partner. In January 2006, the Jobs Project joined with Aramark to establish a food service training program at the Curran-Fromhold Correction Facility. The inmates enrolled in this program will be assigned a reentry partner and will be offered job readiness and life skill workshops. More importantly, the reentry partners will work cooperatively with the Aramark Placement Center to secure 16 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. employment for inmates enrolled in this program. The WHYY Project: The WHYY Television Project will bring many hours of quality programming on education, vocational learning, life skills and employment skills directly to the inmates on their housing units, via the master TV system in place in all facilities. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society/Prison Greenhouse Partnership: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in partnership with the Prisons, the Share Program and communities throughout the City of Philadelphia are sponsoring Philly Green. Providing training to PPS inmates and using the greenhouse, this program will involve the preparation of seedlings that will be used in community gardens throughout the City to grow produce. The produce grown will be donated to the Share Program. Share will distribute the produce to families in the communities who are in need. 17 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. The Inmate LAN: The inmate LAN, the Local Area Network, consists of a server with numerous or 350-plus computers linked to it. The server will hold software for computer-based educational and vocational programs that inmates can easily access throughout the Prison System. Examples of the software include PLATO; Careerscope that helps an individual determine what types of jobs he or she may have an aptitude for; Mavis Beacon, which helps an individual to learn how to type; and Microsoft Office. Additional software that will be beneficial for the inmate population will be placed on the server in the near future as funding becomes available. The law libraries at all of the PPS facilities are actually currently available on the inmate LAN. The Frankford Roundtable is a coalition of community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, criminal justice agencies, including the 18 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Prison System, the Adult Probation and Parole Department and the Philadelphia Police Department, the business community and others, who are developing strategies to improve the transition to the community prospects for those who are currently incarcerated and sentenced, who give an address in the Frankford area, zip code 19124, and who are returning to that community upon completion of their court-imposed sentences. The PPS is supporting the Frankford Roundtable by providing a dedicated social worker who will serve as a full-time liaison with the Roundtable, identifying inmates from that area and working with PPS social workers in completing assignments for potential inmate participants in this reentry effort. This is a pilot project with potentially large ramifications. If the model shows positive results in reducing recidivism, PPS will work with other communities to introduce similar networks 19 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. of care to support the transition of their neighbors from jail to community. PPS partners with community-based organizations and individual volunteers to bring programs and fellowship inside the walls and recognizes the importance of educating and engaging the public in the work that we do.

The Office of Community Justice and Outreach raises the profile of corrections in Philadelphia by taking the message to neighborhood organizations, civic groups, schools and business organizations to help them understand who is in jail, why they are here, the important contributions that our staff makes to public safety and the ways that we can work together to help those inmates who are returning to our communities. Although the PPS has developed strong population management and cost control initiatives, these initiatives can only partially mitigate the demand 20 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. for prison capacity. All partners in the criminal justice system will need to do their part in order to prevent incarceration costs from continuing to expand beyond what the City's tax base can support. This concludes my testimony. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you very much. Commissioner, you mention in your testimony that the City has three initiatives that address the growth rate of the prison population. The first is an IT initiative that will enable you to identify demographics of inmates. This will identify trends in groups of inmates that may be targeted to be released to control the population. What are the demographics of the prisoners that would be targeted for release? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, until 21 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. we get the report, I can't tell you that specifically, but I can give you some examples that we've talked about. For example, with the study, a lot of it will be focused more on processes in the Court of Common Pleas. In other words, we believe that a lot of the reason for the rise in the population is not, if you look at the statistics, it's not because the crime rate is up in the City. It's not because there's been some drastic increase in the arrest rate or drastic increase in the amount of prisoners that actually reach the prison. For example, there have been changes in the law that require that -- well, have caused defendants in court to opt for jury trials as opposed to a bench trial or a guilty plea, depending on what their choice might be. So when we have more inmates opting for a jury trial, they stay incarcerated longer. If we see, for example -- they have something in the Court of Common 22 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Pleas called section cases. I don't know -- they're the very serious cases that aren't homicides, and we've noticed that there's been a dip in the processing of those preliminarily from what we've been able to gather, and we know when processing time slows down in those types of cases, those people are more likely to stay longer in the prison. So that's a big part of what this study is going to look at. Another population, if you're going to talk about releasing them -- and, Madam President, I don't want you to, or Councilwoman Krajewski, too, I don't want you to get the impression that we're going to go around and after this study is done and say, Okay, take 200 people and put them on the street. It's really going to be a little more studied than that, a little more strategic than that. But we do have 1,500 people on our mental health caseload who have 23 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. mental health issues, and we have an initiative going aside from what Dr. Goldkamp is going on. I would like to target those people. And I think a lot of them -- and we've just now gotten it so that we have an information system that tells us who these people are. Before, all we knew is we had 1,500 people. Now we can tell you how many have serious mental illnesses, and we need to develop strategies to put them somewhere else other than jail. We're not going to release them to the community necessarily, but we do believe that a lot of these people we can either divert; in other words, because we are doing some training, the Department of Behavioral Health with the Police Department, to help them recognize people who have serious mental illness, because sometimes you can't tell. You don't know whether they're high, they're drunk or they have a serious mental illness. And we're trying to work with the Police 24 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Department to divert people so they don't come to the jail, and then look at the ones that we have. Because we think there are ways to house them that is less than $88 a day, while at the same time provide services they need and protects the community at the same time. So I don't know if that answered your question.

Commissioner, can you tell me when the study is anticipated to be completed? COMMISSIONER KING: I know we were anticipating early FY03. We get preliminary reports --

FY03? COMMISSIONER KING: FY07. I'm sorry.

I was going to say, we're going backwards. COMMISSIONER KING: We're getting preliminary -- he meets with us every once in a while to let us know where he's going, but early FY07. So I 25 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. would anticipate August or September we should have the report.

Thank you. The second initiative is the Mayor's Office of Reentry of Ex-Offenders. Will you tell us what this office does and how it helps to control your population levels? COMMISSIONER KING: I would like to defer. I hope there's someone here from the Mayor's Office. Is there anybody here from MORE? (No response.) COMMISSIONER KING: I don't see them here, so I will attempt to speak on their behalf. But what MORE is supposed to be doing is taking over for prisoners when they're released. Our responsibility is inside the walls to prepare these inmates for release, and their responsibility is, once they're released, to assist them in finding jobs, 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. connecting them with healthcare, anything that they may need. And their mandate actually is more broad than just the Philadelphia Prison System. I know that their mandate also includes Philadelphia residents who are discharged from the State Department of Corrections, Philadelphia inmates who are discharged from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. And they would be taking care of those inmates that aren't already enrolled in the Jobs Projects or the Frankford Reentry Roundtable. I know that's their mandate generally. I can't comment specifically on what they're doing.

Ms. Reed, would you have any information on the Mayor's Office of Reentry?

Ms. Danzy will speak.

Great. Welcome, Ms. Danzy. 27 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

Good morning.

Nice seeing you.

Julia Danzy, Director of Division of Social Services. The Mayor's Office of Reentry Services, which was created the past year, has as its specific purpose, as the Prison Commissioner said, to address the reentry issues of the prisoners who are coming from our city jail, as well as from the state jail system. They are working with business communities. They are working with other agencies to, one, look at how do they get jobs for this population; two, how do we make sure we connect them with any treatment services they were receiving while they were in prison, such as drug and alcohol treatment, mental health treatment, all of those pieces; and three is to help them really get better acclimated back into the community. One of the things that is on 28 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. design right now are what we call one-stop-shop programs, so that the point they're leaving the prisons, they come to a central point where they can find out about housing, where they can find out about treatment and where we can begin to work with them and get them coordinated in programs. What I would like, if Council is desirous, before our hearing is complete today, I can have Harriett Spencer, who is the Director of the program, and Nick Taliaferro is kind of the Executive Director of that program, to come and give you a more complete presentation today. They were to be here this morning. Obviously there was a mix-up and they're not here.

Ms. Danzy, or perhaps the Commissioner could answer, on , I notice that there is a million dollars appropriated for FY07 for reentry services for inmates. We're assuming that's a 29 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. contract? COMMISSIONER KING: No. I believe that is an appropriation for the Mayor's Office of Reentry Services.

Yes. He is correct. That is money that the Mayor in his budget address talked about the million that would be for reentry services. That is it.

But it's in Class 200 in the Prison's budget. Commissioner? COMMISSIONER KING: I would ask the Budget Director to come up and explain that. I don't know why it's in Class 100.

It's Class 200 in your budget. COMMISSIONER KING: The Budget Director indicates it's a placeholder. I don't know.

It's pardon me, sir? COMMISSIONER KING: A 30 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. placeholder.

Oh, a placeholder. What does a placeholder mean?

Dianne Reed, Budget Director. I think that the entire scope of services to be provided by the office has not quite been determined yet. I think contracting will be part of it, because there are several programs that are reentry programs that are funded now out of various budgets. This would not entirely go for Class 100. People are already on staff. So we will probably have to sort this out later.

People are already on staff where?

With the -- I don't exactly know where they are, Mr. Taliaferro and the other people that the Secretary of Social Services mentioned. So there may be just some reorganization on the Class 100 side and 31 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. that in fact most of this would go for Class 200 programs.

Can somebody explain?

The staffing for Reentry really has come from some of the other programs where we were already doing contracts with private providers for reentry services. We just sort of moved some of that staff over into Reentry. For instance, in MOCS, we were providing an area of funding for reentry services, and so what we've done is, we've reallocated that staff into the Reentry office. Prisons is also supporting some of the staffing for the Reentry office. Persons who were working on that within the prisons are now linked and involved in working in that office. And they are located at 990 Spring Garden, which is in the office with the Mayor's Office of Community Services.

But 32 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. how do you pay salaries out of Class 200?

Well, you can't.

That's not going to happen.

I would hope not.

No. 9

Gee, surprise. I think we'll need further explanation on this.

Yes, you will.

As I offered before, if you would like, I will have someone from the Reentry office, the Director, to come today and give you more detail, if you would like.

We'll notify you. Otherwise, I'd like it in writing.

All right.

Thanks. Commissioner, you mentioned in 33 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. your testimony that the proposed 2007 budget assumes an inmate population of 8,500. What is the overall inmate capacity of the Prison System? COMMISSIONER KING: It depends. You knew I was going to say that. If you take all of the facilities that we now have and you wanted to say, Okay, what were they originally designed to hold as far as inmates goes, it's around 6,000-something inmates. If you take into account all the areas that we've retrofitted to make it things that were other things before and now we have beds in them and we put toilets and showers, then you take the number up closer to 8,200. And then in situations where we have to triple-cell at the House of Corrections and we take our capacity up to that level, then you get to be around 8,565. And then after that, we have to be more creative. Last year, we had 8,704 inmates and we were triple-celling all over the 34 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. place and moving people around. So the prisons are full at different levels, but certainly 8,700, we've never been there before.

I know you're not going to be able to answer this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. If you are not successful in controlling the inmate levels and the population increases by four percent, as indicated in the Five-Year Plan, how will you ever manage? We just open the gates and say, We just don't have room? COMMISSIONER KING: No, because I know Councilwoman Krajewski will be waiting around the corner for me if I do that. So I'm not going to do that. We have a lot of contingency plans that we're working on. We had to do this because we had Delaware County folks come back. So we had to add beds to the Detention Center in different areas. We have a proposal in hand that 35 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. I have to review for some community-based housing, and we're also searching the State of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey for leased space. I mean, those are the things that we have planned and those are really the only things that we have planned, and I think that's part of the reason we're very anxious to get this report back from Dr. Goldkamp, because there is no more space on State Road to build the prison. There's no more space. There's nowhere else to build anything. And I think even if there were space, there's now new FEMA regulations and earthquake regulations that wouldn't allow us to put anything near the river like that anyway. So that's part of the reason I think the Mayor has recognized you're building our way out of this. Building our way out of this is not the answer, but those are some of the things that we have that we're working on currently in case we don't reach the goal we've set. 36 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

I believe Councilwoman Krajewski has a point of information.

Thank you. Commissioner, how many of the prisoners are with the state? COMMISSIONER KING: State prisoners that are serving time in the county? I was at a meeting the other day. Part of some of the information that was coming out of, I think, our information system that we're trying to set up, it looked like there were close to 300 people who were serving state sentences in the county.

They're at Curran? COMMISSIONER KING: They're at one of the facilities on State Road.

Shouldn't they be in the state institutions? COMMISSIONER KING: I would 37 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. argue, yes, that's where I'd like them.

Isn't it anything over like two years, they -- COMMISSIONER KING: Well, the way it works is, over two years is a state sentence, but county judges have the discretion if it's more than two and less than four to make them serve the state sentence in the county, and they usually do that a lot of times because they want the inmate to be near their family, et cetera, et cetera, or they're work release sentences where they're at 600 University Avenue and they're --

So in other words, they're not really paying too much attention to the state ones where they should be out of Curran and into other state facilities; is that true? COMMISSIONER KING: I mean, that's what we would like, but the judges have their reasons for doing that. And that probably will be one of the things 38 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. we'll be discussing with them. Remember when Judge Shapiro had control of everything, she had an order that said the judges in the City, you can't sentence people to county serving state sentences. They have to go upstate. Then when we settled the case --

That would solve some of the overcrowding, wouldn't it? COMMISSIONER KING: Yes, it would.

Are you doing anything about that, or is anyone? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, the number I just got yesterday, and it's going to be part of this roll-out of this report. We will be doing something about it.

I'd appreciate some information on that. COMMISSIONER KING: Okay.

Thank 39 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. you, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER KING: You're welcome.

Commissioner, with that being said, do you and perhaps the Administration meet on a periodic basis to discuss issues such as Councilwoman Krajewski is bringing to the table? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, actually, we have something called a Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee. We usually meet -- it's usually monthly, sometimes bi-monthly, and that is me, the other members of the Administration, Judge Fitzgerald, Judge Presenza. We meet on a monthly basis and we do discuss these issues. That number that I told you about the state inmates serving in the county, I just got yesterday. We will be having a meeting of that committee this week and I will make sure that I bring the issue up again. 40 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. They are very cooperative, the judiciary, when we bring things to their attention when they can do things. Judge Fitzgerald has been fantastic. Judge Presenza has been fantastic. They helped us with the Delaware County Bring-Back, and we had the Public Defender's Office put a massive -- a bunch of early patrol petitions, and they helped us shepherd that through the courts and we got some inmates discharged. So I'm sure they will be receptive, but Judge Fitzgerald and -- they're handicapped. As you know, all the judges are independently elected, so there's only so far you have to convince and cajole. You can't order them to do things.

Thank you very much, Commissioner. The Chair recognizes Councilman Goode.

Thank you, Madam President. 41 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Good morning, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER KING: Good morning.

Thank you for your testimony. Let me thank you for your enlightened perspective. I think that this testimony and your service has been very different than previous Prison Commissioners, and I want to thank you for dispelling the myth. We actually don't lock anyone up and throw away the key, do we? COMMISSIONER KING: No. 15

We actually keep the key, we open the cells, we try to prepare them for reentry, and we try to reduce the rate of recidivism. COMMISSIONER KING: Yes.

Can you provide any new data on the recidivism rate? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, the last time we did the recidivism study, I think it indicated that the recidivism 42 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. rate was 54 percent or 56 percent. 56 percent. I like to remind people -- that means 56 percent of the population surveyed came back to prison within two years with a new parole violation or a new sentence. I'd like to point out to people that we also need to remember that also means that 44 percent of those people didn't come back. I'm waiting now. I've asked for a new recidivism report and I haven't gotten it back yet. I can have Deputy Commissioner Hammond come up and talk to you about some of the new things that we're doing with the Jobs Project and how that's working. One of our things that we wanted to do is be able to do a recidivism rate by program instead of the whole recidivism rate, because if you take everybody in the melting pot, there are some people who don't get intensive treatment. So we wanted to be able to project recidivism by program. So in 43 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. April, we should have the pilot project ready so we can start loading in people who go through OPTIONS, people who go through Jobs, people who go through the Culinary Arts Project so we can see how the programs are working and predict a little better the recidivism rates. And we're also going to do this with the Frankford Roundtable. That's one of the things that we're most proud of. There was a lot of -- there was some community concern in the last month or so about what that was doing. People thought we were going to take -- the statistics indicate that 800 inmates are discharged back into the Frankford community, and we're taking probably 19 of them and giving them intense 20 treatment, making sure that they are people from Frankford, they're not from South Philly and we're going to put them in Frankford, or wherever they may be from. They could be from North Philly. I don't know. I don't mean to pick on 44 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. any neighborhood. And we want to track that. And there was some issues with the community on that because they were concerned we were dumping inmates that wouldn't otherwise come back to the community there. And when we went out and explained it to them, they understood and people were nodding their heads. So I can only tell you -- that's a long answer, but I can only tell you that it was 56 percent the last time that we did it and I should have information shortly on whether it's gotten better or worse.

How recent is that data? COMMISSIONER KING: I think it was 2002 or 2003.

For those politicians who just like to talk tough on crime, can you tell us for the record what the biggest barriers to reducing that rate is? COMMISSIONER KING: The biggest 45 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. barriers to reducing the recidivism rate are treating people's addictions. That's the biggest problem. If you look at the statistics that we've seen preliminarily from this report and you look at the prison population, you don't see -- everyone talks about the homicide rate, and it has gone up recently, but when you look at the red line on the chart, which is drugs, I mean, it sort of goes like this and then in the late '80s and the early '90s, it goes like this, and then it comes down and then it goes up. And that is what's driving prison population. That is the biggest issue that we have to deal with when we talk about recidivism, is people's addictions. If you come into the receiving room at CFCF, they're all either drunk or high or in some in-between state when they come in. So that's the biggest thing. Jobs I would say is the second issue that we have to deal with in regard to recidivism, because we know that if 46 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. people have a job, they're more likely not to go back out and commit a crime. And it has to be a job, I would say, that -- we don't want to say, Okay, come to jail and when you're done, we'll educate you and you'll be Donald Trump. That's not the idea. But then on the other hand, if you give somebody a $5-an-hour job or a 6 -- I don't even know what the minimum wage is, but if you give them a $5-an-hour job and $6-an-hour job and they weigh it and they go, Okay, well, I was out doing what I was doing before -- I wouldn't work for -- I'd rather sit on the street than make $6 an hour. And then the final thing is housing, making sure they have a job and a place to stay and some mentoring and some support, because when they go back out, if they go back to Frankford -- for example, with the Frankford Roundtable, we're planning, I think it's, two or three mentors for each inmate. If they 47 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. go back out on the community and let's say they have a job or they have a house and they don't have anyone in their life who is saying, Stay on the straight and narrow, and they go back out and hang out with the people they were hanging out with before, all is lost, and they will recidivate. So those are the four things.

Lastly, Commissioner, in your view, are the reasons for recidivism similar to the reasons for increase in homicide rate and violence in the City? COMMISSIONER KING: I will say they're all interrelated. I mean, the other thing that you have to think about, there's just been an erosion of morals in the world and in the country. I mean, that's sort of part of it. And also poverty plays a role in it. People just don't have the same morals that they used to. There's poverty that contributes to everything. And they're related, I 48 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. think, yes.

Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner, good morning. COMMISSIONER KING: Good morning.

I've been an observer of the Prison System for a lot of years and I think that you've really done a lot with the personnel. I think you brought a lot of leadership there, and I like what I see personally. COMMISSIONER KING: Thank you.

One of the issues that you know I'm interested in, and you used the word this morning, "reentry." I spoke with you this week 49 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. and you indicated something to me that's troubling, and I think you have a concern. And I don't want to use the word "disappointed," but I am, that for over a year now, I've been working with you and I've been working with the executives of Fairmount Park, and it's the work release program. It's sad to me to see 48 inmates sitting at the jail that have been processed for work release and there's no jobs for them. They sit there day after day after day. When we first started this conversation, I believe it was well over 100. Fortunately, you dwindled that down a bit. We had a sponsor that was willing to give the seed money for a program where people would go to work in Fairmount Park. And you know the Park is under a lot of distress, trees down, and we had it set up where it was going to be called a training program where these inmates eventually would have 50 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. opportunities to go to work for vegetation management companies, to go to work for companies that could use the skills that they learned working in the Park. And we thought the Park was a good place because it needed a lot of attention. I don't know whether it's political. I don't know whether it's just that we can't focus, but it's a shame when we've got 48 human beings that have gone through a process -- and for people that don't know, and correct me if I'm wrong, when you're processed for work release, that means you can jump on a bus in the morning, go to work and come back to the jail at night after you finish your day's work. Forty-eight human beings that had an opportunity to go to work every morning in Fairmount Park under minimum supervision, being able to replace fences, being able to do other work, learn how to use power equipment to clear walking paths where people can't 51 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. use because there's trees down. And for that program or that opportunity to be snubbed -- and I don't know where it's been snubbed, by Fairmount Park or wherever. You even had one of your people work with the labor unions, Will Rojas, and they came back and said they had no problem with that, that as long as it is training people for, the buzz word today, reentry. What better program that have 48 human beings that have been processed for work release to be paid. And I had a person that was willing to give you the seed money until the City budget and also matching funds became available. Our Park is in bad shape. What great opportunity to fix it up a bit and also train people for an opportunity for employment in the future. Commissioner, you're a pretty candid guy. What went wrong here? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, I think that the idea to use inmates to 52 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. give them some training, put them in Fairmount Park, help them maintain the trails and the trees is a fantastic idea. I thought it was a good idea when you brought it to me and I still think it's a good idea. I don't really know what happened to it. I know that it went to other places and it stayed there, but I can tell you that I know you brought it to the Managing Director's attention when he was here testifying. I told you last week that I'd be speaking to him about it. I actually have my meeting today at 5 o'clock with him or 4 o'clock to discuss all prison issues. So I will be bringing it up again. No one ever communicated to me. It was only communicated to me that we couldn't do that. It was never communicated to me why or who said it. And I do know it was prior to this Managing Director. So I think that we have a reasonably good chance of getting 53 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. it done. I mean, it's a situation where it's really a win-win, in a sense, for the prisons, because it's not -- we have this person who is going to contribute the money to pay the inmates.

And, Commissioner, beyond that, if this effort of mine fails, so be it, but maybe we can start to advertise to the public. Maybe the media would do a story. Forty-eight men -- I believe they're all men -- that have been processed for work release, that this program exists. I mean, there are a lot of good employers out there that aren't afraid to give somebody a shot, give somebody an opportunity. There's some people that might not want to participate, but there are. So I'm hoping that, again, I'd like to see this work, because the Park is dear to me, your system is dear to me, and if we could -- like you just said, it's a win-win, but if that doesn't work out, let's at least let the rest of the 54 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. business community know, because if someone needs a person, again, they can hop on a bus in the morning, show up for work and come back at night. You rarely have a person walk on you; is that correct? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, every once in a while, we have someone walk, but for the most part, no, we don't have that. They're there. They want to work. If anybody -- I'm just thinking this. If anyone in Council wants to come next Thursday, I think it's at 10:30, we're having an open house down at the Work Release Center to unveil our new resource center for job hunting and all that stuff for inmates. If you want to come, you're invited. But I agree with you, and I promise I'll get back to you after my meeting tonight.

Commissioner, again, we don't need to do it publicly, but I'd like you to ask the 55 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. question who said no and why. COMMISSIONER KING: Okay.

It sounds like I heard that before. Who did it, when. Or what was that expression? COMMISSIONER KING: I'll ask.

I'm curious what the rationale would be to not pursue a program that could be helpful. COMMISSIONER KING: Okay.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kelly.

Right. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER KING: Good morning.

Just on a personal note, I wanted to thank you and one of your aides, Greg Vrato, for 56 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. helping me and taking care of a problem for one of my constituents. COMMISSIONER KING: You're welcome.

I think really your very efficient and very professional manner is appreciated. In saying that, I just wanted to know, are you under any cap at present? I remember years ago there was a prison cap placed because of an agreement between Judge Shapiro and the Administration I believe with Mayor Goode. Has that cap been in existence since then or is it done away with? COMMISSIONER KING: No. 18 There's no cap on the prison population. I mean, there's no legal order in place that says you can only hold so many people. That has gone away. And, of course, that's interesting. When you look at the numbers of the prison population in the '80s, it was sort of going like this, and then Judge Shapiro 57 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. said no, you can only have so many, then the population went down, and then when she lifted it, it went back up.

So you're asking for 3.2 million. Now, that's based on 8,500, a population of 8,500, and I want to go back to what the Council President has said. What happens if it does exceed that? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, if it does --

What is the growth rate, incidentally, of the last few years? Has that population been growing? COMMISSIONER KING: The growth rate is usually around three to four percent since I've been Commissioner, and before that, there was one year where it wasn't that, in Fiscal Year 2003. I don't remember if you all remember that. The population dipped to 7,100. We're pretty sure that was because of the method of policing in Operate Safe 58 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Streets at the time where the focus wasn't on arresting people, but moving them and moving the behavior. So it's been three to four percent.

But what happens if it exceeds the 8,500? COMMISSIONER KING: If it were to exceed the 8,500, then we'd have to do some replanning and reallocating of resources.

It wouldn't be a matter of just releasing prisoners -- COMMISSIONER KING: No. 16

-- because of a monetary restraint? COMMISSIONER KING: No. 19 Sometimes I wish I had the authority to stop people from coming, but I don't.

Do you think you have enough money in your programs to deal with the drug addiction in the prisons? In other words, are you planning on expanding any of these 59 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. programs to deal with that? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, we're opening another OPTIONS unit, we intend to expand the Jobs Project, all within the budget that we have. I remember years ago Councilman Nutter always used to like to cross-examine or question my predecessor, Mr. Costello, about programs, and he would always bring up the fact 80 percent of the people have a drug and alcohol problem but you only have so many in treatment. There's really never going to be enough money to treat all those people. So you're never going to have a situation, especially when 60 percent of the people are only there two weeks or less. There's really no time to treat them. So there will never be enough money. If you all were going to appropriate all the money I would request so I could have social workers to everybody and programs for everybody, you'd have no libraries or rec centers or 60 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. anything else. So we have enough money based on the programs that we have now. We can expand them a little bit, and we do expect the Mayor's Office of Reentry Services and others to step up and help us. That's why the Frankford Roundtable is one of the things that we're trying to do. But we're really, in a way, lucky. I was just talking to somebody from the ACLU in Los Angeles. I think it's the largest county jail system, 20,000 inmates. They have no social workers there, no programming, no social workers, nothing. So we're sort of like a Cadillac in the corrections industry, I think. But in answer to your question, we have enough for the programs that we have and we do plan some expansion.

Has there been any discussion on outsourcing of any programs for the prison? And have you ever thought about, for instance, boot camps or something like that, which in 61 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. other states they do have for younger prisoners? COMMISSIONER KING: I thought of it, and every time we have a series of articles in the paper about people shooting each other, et cetera, I think of boot camps, but I have nowhere to put a boot camp, one; and, two, we have thought about those things, but, again, we don't have the space for a boot camp or anything like that. And, actually, the first part of your question slipped my mind. Could you ask me again? I'm sorry.

About the discussions on outsourcing programs. COMMISSIONER KING: Oh, outsourcing programs. We have a lot of good treatment staff on our team, and the things that they're doing we wouldn't want to outsource. We do have some contractors that come in and do some things. For example, at the female jail, we have something called the Cambria 62 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Employment Project, and they come in and do treatment, and that's on a contract. We have JEVS, the Jewish Educational Vocational Service. They come in on a contract basis and they do programming. We're actually getting ready to rebid the CEP project, and we have some reentry partners that come in and help in the Jobs Project. So we do do that a little bit.

Has there been any interest in relocating prisons? Your location is a very, very prestigious location. It's right on the river, and I think Councilwoman Krajewski wouldn't mind to see it moved somewhere so she could develop it in different ways.

No 20 problem.

A casino or something like that would be nice to see on the river. COMMISSIONER KING: I have --

But you have 63 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. a problem with space as it is. You don't have enough room to expand that prison. I was just wondering. COMMISSIONER KING: No. I really haven't thought about that. I know that, practically speaking, that's just impractical. I mean, it took us, I think, from the time we first started planning the Riverside Correctional Facility, which is the last one we put up, to the time we actually opened the door and put an inmate, that was like ten years. So if we're going to relocate everybody, we have five major facilities, three satellites located most of them up on State Road, that would just take God knows how long and how much money. So I don't really think that that's something that we would ever do.

That's not going to happen, that's for sure. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Commissioner. 64 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.

Thank you, Madam President. Madam President, Councilman Goode has a solution to Councilman Kelly's question regarding development on the river, and that would be to build a casino and hire the inmates. (Laughter.)

Certainly an out-of-the-box approach to solving that problem along the river. Good morning. COMMISSIONER KING: Good morning.

I read with interest the discussion in your report regarding the 32,000 inmates being released, and we know that many of them are likely to be parents. Will the Mayor's Office of Reentry be offering 65 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. counseling for prisoners? Will there be an alignment of existing services in DHS or within the Office of Social Services with the services that will be provided out of the Office of Reentry? COMMISSIONER KING: I do know we in the prisons for people who are in Jobs Project, OPTIONS, any of the internal programs, they get parenting counseling and all that stuff. So they get that inside the walls. We do have a partnership with the Department of Human Services, I believe, in relation to female inmates to provide parenting, and I do know from the discussions and some of the things I've seen from the Mayor's Office of Reentry that that's one of the areas that they want to focus on as well.

And I'm to understand that the leadership for the Office of Reentry will be coming before us at some point for more specific questions? COMMISSIONER KING: I would 66 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. imagine Ms. Danzy has called them, because they were supposed to be here.

Yes.

All right. Then I'll wait. I also read the investment in programs that we do for recidivism and aid reentry. Are you familiar with, have you had any action with yet a new entity called the Benefit Bank, which is a counseling-assisted program? COMMISSIONER KING: The Benefit Bank? I do believe that that issue has come up in relation to some of the planning that we're doing with medical services and discharge planning. That's my only experience with it. I know it was mentioned by the person we hired to do our strategic plan for discharge of inmates with medical problems or mental health problems. One of their issues is getting benefits.

Yes. It's like a one-stop-shop for all the types of 67 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. services that -- principally low income, but not only low income -- persons typically need instead of doing the run-around to several different entities, agencies, in several different places. They can come here and get food stamps, CHIP, medical benefits, childcare subsidy, the whole nine yards. You should know that I'll be calling for a briefing for the Benefit Bank and will be inviting all the members of Council, along with the leadership of the various social services and government to come here about it, because I think it's, some might say, smarter way to providing services to low-income persons, because they have so many hurdles they have to overcome. So they can make one stop and have access to all those types of needs. COMMISSIONER KING: Yes. I just heard it mentioned last week, and you have mentioned it again, so I'll make sure I look into that. 68 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

All right, then. And then, finally, in recent years, there have always been questions from members of this body with regards to MBE, WBE participation, and given the big business that the Philadelphia Prison System is, just discuss and update or summarize for us where you were and what progress has been made with regards to MBE, WBE participation. COMMISSIONER KING: I'll ask Ms. Duzinski, our Contract Administrator, to come up and give you the specifics, but I do know that prisons exceeds the City's average in goals as far as MBEC participation goes, and that as I understand the way it's counted, because it's complicated the way they count it, U.S. Facilities is our contractor for maintenance at CFCF and RCF, and they are a minority-owned company, but they're not included in the count. So if you include them in the count, we well exceed the 69 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. City's expectations. This is Roseanne Duzinski, our Contract Administrator, who can give you some details.

Good morning and welcome.

Can you first tell us why the company just cited is not included in the count?

That has been rectified as of our last meeting with MBEC. There were some differences in the way certain companies could be counted because of the size of the companies, but I believe that that's been changed by MBEC now so that we can count a major organization.

Okay. Thank you.

Of the $62,878,085.74 that was available in this year's budget in Class 200 for for-profit companies -- we've subtracted not-for-profits because those amounts are 70 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. not counted by MBEC -- 11.9 percent went to primes, and that prime was U.S. Facilities, and that was approximately $7.5 million. An additional 14.1 percent, or $8.9 million, has gone to minority subcontractors. And then approximately $4.1 million, or just about 7 percent, has gone to female-owned businesses. That was our plan and --

Could I ask you to pause there?

Sure.

Share with us examples in both of those categories, examples of types of services.

Okay. In the minority-owned subcontractors, for example, our entire dental practice at the prisons under Prison Health Services is provided by an incredible minority-owned dentistry business from Baltimore, Maryland, Mumby and Simmons. They just do a phenomenal job. Our specialty services are from 71 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. a company called Eric Mitchell Associates. That's also a subcontractor to PHS. On the Aramark side, we have a number of subcontractors who provide uniforms, bags, different services of those types. When we get into the female-owned businesses, what we have was, we have a company called Milray, and Milray provides the bulk of food services to Aramark. Excuse me. Also on the minority sides, we have a company named Struthers, and Struthers for Aramark provides all of the food service at House of Correction. So these are real partnerships that are actually going to probably lead to the ability through these companies to become primes eventually.

That's progress.

Yes.

Just share with me a couple more examples of women. 72 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. You mentioned women.

Oh, sure. Examples of some of the female-owned companies, currently our pharmacy with PHS, the company that actually processes the pharmacy orders are women-owned companies. On our commissary side, the company that provides the uniforms, the company that's providing all of our trucking services is a female-owned company. I believe that some of our office supply providers are also female-owned companies.

What about landscaping?

Our landscaper under U.S. Facilities I believe is a minority-owned company, but I have to check that. They're the kind -- we do attempt to use as many local female and minority firms in our USF contract as possible.

How did you know I was headed there? 73 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

Because I am passionate about this.

I appreciate that. Commissioner, in response to Councilman Goode's question about the number of barriers or factors that lead to recidivism, one of them was lack of jobs. Any discussion, conversation between any one of those MBE, WBEs; for example, landscaping, and how inmates being released from prison back to the real world can have an opportunity to have a J-O-B through, for example, a landscaping contractor? COMMISSIONER KING: No. That actually hadn't occurred to me, so I'm glad you brought it up. That's a good idea, one. Two, the only thing that we have going on with the contractors because it's a good concept, we do have it set up through Aramark that they have a culinary -- 74 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

Training class? COMMISSIONER KING: Yes. They have a culinary arts program. And part of what we wanted from them, or I think what I insisted, was, You have a Job Placement Center. When our inmates are certified in food service, et cetera, they go down to the Food Center and I expect Aramark to hire them. So I think it's a good idea that had not occurred to me that we could do that with the other subcontractors.

I'm going to make notes and then next year we'll have the conversation again. COMMISSIONER KING: Okay.

Thank you for your testimony. COMMISSIONER KING: You're welcome.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

75 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.

Thank you, Madam President. I wanted to thank the Commissioner. I call often on so many issues, but we want to thank him for always being available and for servicing us in a very positive, professional way. Thank you. COMMISSIONER KING: You're welcome.

Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ramos.

Thank you, Madam President. I have the same expressions for our Commissioner for the job that he's doing. It must be one of the most difficult jobs in America, along with the Police and other services that we have to 76 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. provide our citizenry regardless of what their conditions are. There's a program at the prison where you have this big yard sale. You make things, furniture, and I've noticed that it's been cancelled a few times. You probably have had it since I honed in on going there and see what I could buy. Can I buy stuff from there, Madam President? Am I allowed to? Can I? I'd better find out whether I'm allowed to buy stuff from you. But I think it's a very good project, but it doesn't seem that -- what seems to be the problem with it, if there is? Because I think it's a very good opportunity to have some extra income for the system that is always in need of extra money. COMMISSIONER KING: That's our prison industry's shop. They sell used or things that people have used or gotten back.

Do you make 77 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. any new -- I believe you make new -- COMMISSIONER KING: Yeah. You can come up any time. We have a showroom. I think we just had an open house last week if you want to buy new stuff.

Such as? COMMISSIONER KING: Desks, chairs, anything you would need to outfit your office, we provide that. And I'm sure they can make customized things, too, if you have a drawing that you want us to do. So we're always open. You can always call my office if you have need of furniture. We do printing services, things of that nature. So that's always a thing. But as far as the yard sale goes, as I recall, and our Deputy Director of Legal Affairs can correct me if I'm incorrect, but I believe it was the Law Department who told us we couldn't have those yard sales anymore. 78 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

What kind of revenue are you generating from the sale of furniture? That seems to be like the primary thing. And, if so, what else can you do -- I don't know much about it. A couple times it attracted me, but maybe this is something you should promote. COMMISSIONER KING: I'd be happy to promote it. I like promoting my department, but maybe Mr. Szymanski can talk about the finances at Philacor.

And a little bit more about the program, if you may.

Edward Szymanski, Fiscal Officer of Prisons. The Prison industry's fund is a separate entity from the General Fund. The revenue that's earned from that program is recycled, rolled over into the fund to purchase supplies and to pay for the inmate workers that are employed by the Prison industry's fund. It doesn't have any impact on the General Fund, though. 79 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. COMMISSIONER KING: How much money is there?

The amount of money that they recover from the, quote/unquote, yard sale, I'm not sure of the number. We would have to research that when we get back to the office.

I know that in the state penal system, there's industries that are money generating. Is this something that you would see as something you would want to build on? Although it doesn't affect your operating budget, is this something that is on your things that can help you with other costs incurred with our system? COMMISSIONER KING: I don't know what the monetary impact was, and whenever we can advertise prison industries or make a sale, that helps us with it. So I'd have to check in to see how much they made on prior occasions to see whether the yard sale is a big piece of what they do. But more important for 80 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. prison industries is what -- I would have to thank Council again. I think you did it last year. You passed a bill and I think the Mayor signed to expand the market that Philacor was able to sell things in. So things like that can help us. And what we're trying to do now is actually line people up for jobs when they leave. That really is what we've always done. You sort of like you go into Philacor, you have a job. It keeps you busy.

That's a very good point, because if you expand this business, that then we're very much focused on reentry programs, that if your inmate population is learning sales, is learning maybe -- or also fixing these furnishing or making new furnishing, that you're starting to provide these type of skills for a person that when he or she gets out can go into the market and find a job. 81 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. COMMISSIONER KING: Yes. So that's what we're trying to do. It's just that we have to be strategic about what we plan. And some of the things -- for example, we have a garment shop, where we're just moving the garment shop. And they make all of the inmate clothing at the Philadelphia Prisons. Last week they're moving. They're expanding. I said, Okay, before you get any more money, I want to hear what the reentry plan was. And then I was told, Well, there really aren't any sewing jobs or stitching jobs in the United States anymore. They're all in China or someplace else. So now the dilemma is what do we do with the garment shop, do we change it. But we're working on all those issues.

Okay. Anyone from the public can go to these sales, right? COMMISSIONER KING: No. That wouldn't -- we can't sell to the public. 82 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

It's only City employees? COMMISSIONER KING: City employees, non-profit agencies that are contracted with the City and the School District and non-profit agencies.

Please pardon my ignorance. Why can you not sell it to the general public? COMMISSIONER KING: Well, it's a matter of there are federal statutes on the book that talk about the interstate commerce of goods made by inmates.

Okay. I saw two lawyers looking at me and the Council President nodding her head. Okay. Thank you so much, Commissioner. Keep up the good work, but let's see if we can do a little something in this area as well so when we have that population moving back into our communities, that there are some skills there that they've picked up and we continue to expand the industries within 83 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. the system. Thank you so much. COMMISSIONER KING: You're welcome.

Commissioner, before I recognize Councilman Rizzo -- and I don't want to lose my train of thought -- I know that at one time your institution was doing a lot of our stationery. Is the City still using -- COMMISSIONER KING: Yes.

Really? All departments? COMMISSIONER KING: I don't know if all departments are using us, but I know -- is it all departments that you know? Virtually all the departments are using us for that, yes.

And how about the other printing? Councilman Rizzo was just calling to my attention we have these beautiful citations that we give out on a Thursday to many very 84 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. worthwhile people, and they are rather costly. Have you seen one of them and do you think --

I gave him one, Ann. Madam President, I gave him one.

Sorry. Mea culpa. Do you think that your people would be able to do that? COMMISSIONER KING: I see no 13 reason why they can't, but I need to confirm that. It doesn't seem like it should be a problem. They print everything that you could imagine. I know they printed a lot of -- they printed ballots and all sorts of things for one of the elections. I mean, it's a full-service print shop.

They print ballots for elections? COMMISSIONER KING: They print forms, all sorts of things. Because I remember I went down there because I 85 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. needed some work done, and they said, No, Commissioner, you got to wait, we're doing work for the election that's coming up. So I can check into that and get back to you.

Okay. That sounds interesting to me. Councilwoman Brown.

I also wanted to seize the moment to commend the Commissioner on the progress that's been made with regards to putting, where appropriate and would be appropriate credentials, putting women in leadership within the Philadelphia Prison System. COMMISSIONER KING: Thank you very much.

I did not want that to go by since that was an extended discussion a year ago. COMMISSIONER KING: Thank you.

I wanted to also follow up on the questions 86 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. regarding the new reentry program. COMMISSIONER KING: Mr. Taliaferro is here from the Mayor's Office of Reentry, and he can, I guess, answer any of the questions that you had before.

Good. Good morning.

Good morning.

Madam Chair, I had a point of information that was on the other issue. You must have forgotten.

Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. See, when that happens, the light goes off.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Brown, do you mind?

Not at all.

Thank you.

87 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Commissioner, I want to go back to the -- what's the formal name of the program? COMMISSIONER KING: The Jobs Project or the work release?

Prison industry. COMMISSIONER KING: Philacor.

Well, I remember a time where that industry supported many of the operating departments. I'll give you an example. When we had a significant snowstorm, the Police Department could not find tire chains, and they were breaking quickly. The Police Department brought barrels of chains to the jail, to the prison, and the inmates repaired them and got those tire chains back. I believe when we had the mounted unit, the dry cleaning shop was taking care of many of the horse blankets and pads at one time. I really believe that there's enough work before we need to go out -- 88 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. and it wouldn't be a bad idea if we could get around it somehow, but I think there's so many opportunities to support Fleet Management in certain areas. There's vehicles that need to be detailed. There's police cars that haven't had a detail for years, they're so raggedy. We could probably even set up an operation to do that. Because let me tell you, if there was a profession that's in demand, it's that one, a person to go to work for an automobile dealership and be able to expertly detail a vehicle. I mean, that's just an example, not that that could ever happen, but it could. I think that we in the government and the operating departments, really some day you need to brief us, more so the operating departments, like Fleet Management and the Police Department and those areas, because I think they could keep you as busy as could be up there with -- again, we talk about reentry. 89 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. What an opportunity to develop a trade, and I know that's what it's all about for when they leave there. COMMISSIONER KING: I agree with you, and I don't know the extent of whether we're still doing that. I know we provide barricades for the Police Department. So whenever you see those blue and yellow barricades around, they're made at the prisons. But we do need to relook at that again.

That's great. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thanks, Councilwoman Brown.

You're welcome.

The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.

Sure. So can you provide for us a summary of the reentry program, how and if services that you'll be offering will be aligned with other existing services 90 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. within the Department of Human Services or the Department of Social Services? And, finally, are you aware of Benefit Bank, which is a one-stop-shop, principally for low-income persons but for sure folks who are returning to society who need a bevy of support services and instead of going to several different systems, they can go to one place and have access to a range of services that they need?

Thank you, Councilwoman. Actually, you're speaking my language on that. I'm not only aware of the Benefit Bank, I've just been installed as one of their Board members. We've been working with them for several years on the faith-based side of things. What we intend to do with the reentry program is to find a way upon the release of an ex-offender, to find a way for them to have access to all services needed for their successful reintegration. A person gets out of 91 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. prison. They may not have ID. You can't get a bank account without ID. You can't get a job if you don't have certain other accoutrements. So in one place, we're going to put a one-stop-center. One will be in North Philadelphia. Then we'll open a second one in Frankford. And the idea being there to provide every salient and useful service for their being made whole, getting their ID in order. The Benefit Bank will be a part of that process. They'll be able to go in there, find out what benefits they are eligible for so that they can get those entitlement programs that will accrue to them practically immediately, as you already know. The reentry program is designed to dovetail with what is being done by the prisons now. Whereas the prison is preparing them with certain programs, once they leave those gates, most guys who get out and most women who get out 92 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. don't want to go back to continue the program there. Our job is to make sure that there is an apples-to-apples program on the outside utilizing the services of certain volunteer organizations, particularly the faith community, who will be providing the same services on the outside. Councilman Rizzo just made mention of the fact of car detailing and so forth. One of our contractees at this present moment is a car detail shop that trains ex-offenders on how to do the work. And here's the best part about it: They have a 100 percent employment rate. Everyone who comes through their program has gotten a job thus far. We're utilizing them. We're trying to figure out how to expand their services.

In your absence, I shared with the Prison Commissioner there also may be an opportunity to explore with landscaping contractors and recently released 93 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. individuals, and take them through a training program where they can ultimately be considered to be hired with a landscaping contractor who is doing business with the Philadelphia Prison System. So to Councilman Rizzo's point, there are a number of potential opportunities in industries where folks who are leaving prisons can have access.

Just if I might respond to that by adding to it. Jobs like that, landscaping jobs, automobile repair jobs, these are jobs that are very -- how shall we say? They're plentiful, they're accessible and they're functional. You can get people into them. There are other jobs also that are helpful, but then we have to concern ourselves with certain union issues. But the landscaping job was one that we hadn't thought of. I imagine having grown up in Philadelphia, I don't think a whole lot about cutting grass, 94 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. but I'd like to take that back to our committee and discover how we can expand our services to include it.

Sure. Well, it's new and needed, and I wish you much success.

Thank you, Councilwoman. I appreciate it.

Thank you, Madam President.

You're welcome. Are there any other questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Seeing none, I thank you. COMMISSIONER KING: Thank you, Madam President.

Your testimony has been very informative. We thank you. COMMISSIONER KING: You're welcome. 95 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

Thank you so much. The next department to testify will be the Health Department. Good morning. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. COMMISSIONER PARIS: Good morning, President Verna and members of Council. I am Carmen I. Paris, newly appointed interim Health Commissioner. Thank you for the opportunity to present the Department of Public Health operating budget request for Fiscal Year 2007. The FY07 Department of Public Health budget request totals $191,623,635. Of this total, $112,119,379 is in the General Fund and 79,504,256 is in the Grants Fund. 6 million in the Grants Fund. 6 million total budget, 96 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. million, comes from City tax-supported funds. The Department's budget will support 973 full-time positions, 698 in the General Fund and 275 in the Grants Funds. The 698 General Fund positions for FY07 represent an increase of 44 positions over the 654 General Fund positions that were filled in December of 2005. This is an increase of 12 positions over the number of General Fund 13 budgeted positions in the FY06 adopted 14 budget. That includes a restoration of 15 funding for 17 custodial positions due to 16 the termination of the warehouse 17 centralization initiative and a gain of 18 one new position in the Medical Examiner's Office. All Councilmembers are very knowledgeable regarding the Department of Public Health services, but we would like to note that we have performed these services within the boundaries of the FY06 budget and we have been able to 97 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. achieve the key goals we have set. I will highlight some of those. Biological terrorism and emergent diseases remain persistent public health threats everywhere. The Department continues to improve its capabilities for identifying public health emergencies and acts of biological terrorism through disease surveillance and communication, and our plans to manage mass illness and/or casualties in the City. In particular, in FY06, the Department completed activities on the federally mandated City's Readiness Initiative, which required planning for distribution of oral antibiotics or vaccinations to the entire Philadelphia population within 48 hours of a large-scale public health emergency. The Department has developed a written plan for implementing the mass medication distribution and has conducted two large-scale field exercises to evaluate and practice the plan. 98 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. In addition, a pandemic influenza plan has been developed to augment the overall Public Health Emergency Response Plan. Training of Department staff in the Incident Command System and the National Incident Management System, as well as in other aspects of Philadelphia's Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plan, took place in FY06 and will continue through FY07. The FY07 budget includes $3 million in the Grants Fund for emergency preparedness. As a result of the November 2003 voters' mandate, the Department has worked toward the goal of creating a realistic and practical plan to provide quality healthcare services to every Philadelphian. To help us assess the full universe of problems with the current healthcare system, we commissioned an analysis from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy of Princeton University and sought the 99 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. participation of a variety of stakeholders in a series of information-gathering sessions. In May 2005, the Department released Decent Health Care for All in Philadelphia: Local Leadership & Action. The principle recommendation of the report is the establishment of a Health Leadership Partnership to assist public and private sector leaders to develop strategic plans and better coordinate health services in Philadelphia. The FY07 budget includes $150,000 for the creation and establishment of the Health Leadership Partnership.

The Department continues to work to increase childhood immunization rates across the City. In 1993, barely 40 percent of Philadelphia's two-year-old children were adequately immunized. Through a variety of improvements in assuring access to vaccines for all Philadelphia children, including working with community-based organizations to 100 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. outreach into communities with low immunization rates, the Department was able to bring the rate up to 81 percent in 2003. In recognition of this work, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health has recently been named to receive an award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, as one of the urban areas with the most improved vaccination coverage for children. 7 million in the Grants Fund for childhood immunization. The Department is focusing on primary prevention, outreach to new mothers, and education on the hazards of lead in homes to prevent new babies from becoming lead poisoned. Thus far in FY06, we have provided primary prevention services to more than 1,200 new mothers with a special emphasis on immigrant and refugee populations. We have conducted lead hazard reduction work in 125 homes in which new mothers reside with their 101 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. children. The Lead Abatement Strike Team, LAST, successfully continues to secure collaboration among health, housing, regulatory, enforcement, and child welfare agencies to combat childhood lead poisoning. The backlog of 1,400 units with unabated lead hazards identified in 2002 has been reduced by three-quarters to 364 housing units in 2005. None of the units remaining is occupied by children, and no new housing units have been added to the backlog since 2002. 3 percent of the children screened in Calendar Year 2005. Philadelphia's effectiveness in 102 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. childhood lead poisoning prevention is a national model, and the Department has been successful in attracting federal and state funding to support its efforts. 5 in the Grants Fund for childhood lead poisoning prevention. For the past several years, the Department's West Nile Virus Prevention Program has consisted of intensive mosquito surveillance and control activities. In 2005, human cases of 15 West Nile Virus, including two deaths, 16 were reported in Pennsylvania. In 17 contrast, 2005 is the first year since 18 the early phases of the West Nile Virus 19 outbreak in which no human cases of the 20 virus were reported in Philadelphia. The 21 FY07 budget includes grant funding of 22 $350,000 for the West Nile Virus 23 Prevention Program. 24 In 2005, the Department's Air 25 Management Services concluded five years 103 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. of enforcement negotiations with a large industrial facility in the City, resulting in a signed Consent Agreement that will require the company to undertake projects to reduce air pollutants by more than 1,000 tons, resulting in cleaner air for Philadelphians. Infant mortality is the measure of the number of babies who die before one year of age per thousand live births. 5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2004, this information just confirmed, the latest year for which the data is available. This is a decrease of 33 percent. Despite the overall improvement, there are significant racial disparities that remain among individual Philadelphia neighborhoods. For the period 2002 through 2004, rates ranged 104 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. from a low of five in some predominantly white neighborhoods to a high of nearly in some predominantly African-American 5 neighborhoods. DPH has a number of 6 infant death review processes in place 7 that furnish data related to the 8 circumstances of death that we are using 9 to improve Department maternal and infant 10 health policy. 11 DPH has implemented two new 12 strategies to address infant mortality. 13 The first is an expansion of the newborn 14 home visiting initiative.

Our goal is to 15 ensure that every new mother in 16 Philadelphia, particularly in high-risk areas, has the benefits of an early intervention home visit. We are working toward a coordinated system with managed care plans and home health agencies to provide in-home nursing visits to all Philadelphia mothers and their newborns, regardless of insurance status. Newborn home visiting will provide opportunities for comprehensive 105 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. education about immunizations and sleep position, as well as the importance of reducing home hazards and lead risks. The second strategy is to continue to communicate the risks of bed sharing and unsafe infant sleep positions. We are collaborating with the Department of Human Services to launch a public information campaign to educate families about these risks through medical providers and through our outreach agencies. The number of newly diagnosed AIDS cases has continued to drop, from 1,160 in Fiscal Year '02 to 758 in Fiscal Year '05. However, AIDS continues to affect minority communities disproportionately. 7,334, 78 percent, of the 9,340 persons currently living with AIDS in Philadelphia are people of color. DPH continues to expand its outreach activities to address this disparity, including the development of a program specifically designed to engage 106 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. African-American youth in HIV/AIDS education activities and testing. The Department supports a network of HIV/AIDS specialized treatment and care providers throughout the City, which includes the Department's health centers. The network offers medical care, medications, case management and a range of support services to enable consumers to overcome barriers to care. 3 million in the Grants Fund. After an extensive national search, the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association, PACCA, hired a permanent full-time Executive Director in April 2005. PACCA has also restructured its Board of Directors, which is now comprised entirely of persons in the field of veterinary medicine and community stakeholders, all of whom have a strong and vested interest in the mission of helping Philadelphia become a 107 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. "no-kill" city. PACCA has already made significant progress, improving its animals "saved rate" to 58 percent in January 2006, up from 38 percent in January 2005. 35 million budget in FY06, which will become a permanent part of the budget in FY07 and future years. 7 million. The Department has created a structure to address chronic disease prevention as a public health program. The Chronic Disease Prevention Program pulls together the activities and initiatives of Steps to a Healthier Philadelphia and the Tobacco Control Unit. Steps to a Healthier Philadelphia targets asthma, diabetes and obesity, and funds intervention activities that promote disease, self-management, healthy behaviors in 108 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. individuals and healthy environments through a variety of intervention activities offered at community centers, workplaces and schools. These services are provided through contracts with 7 community-based providers. 8 Tobacco control activities 9 include coordination of tobacco cessation 10 and community awareness programs, as well 11 as a variety of counter-marketing, youth 12 access prevention, and enforcement 13 activities that are provided through 14 contracts with 18 community-based service 15 providers. The main goals of the tobacco 16 control activities are to reduce the rate 17 of smoking among Philadelphia adults from the 2004 rate of 26 percent to 12 percent by the year 2010, and to reduce the rate of smoking among the very difficult to reach population of ninth through twelfth graders from the 2003 rate of 14 percent to less than 12 percent by 2010. In 2005, Episcopal Hospital, the parent company of Episcopal Long-Term 109 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

Care, ELTC, announced it was leaving the business of long-term care and gave the City notice that ELTC would not renew its contract to operate the Philadelphia Nursing Home at the end of its contract on June 30, 2005. ELTC had operated PNH since January 1994. In response to this decision, the City solicited interest from long-term care providers to either contract with the City for the operation of PNH or to take over the PNH nursing home license from the City. The latter option would have involved a transfer of the license from the City to the new provider and a sublease of the facility. The City leases the PNH site from the Commonwealth. At the end of this process, the City decided to contract with Fairmount Long-Term Care, FLTC, to operate the facility on the City's behalf. Fairmount Long-Term Care is a newly formed non-profit whose management team and 110 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Board were drawn from ELTC. As of the end of February 2006, the facility had an in-house census of 410, with PNH residents in hospitals, 6 for a total census of 435. The facility 7 continues to operate within budget, while 8 providing quality care for its residents. 5 million. 12 Our health centers continue to 13 provide essential medical care and public 14 health services to a large number of 15 residents. In FY05, the health centers 16 served approximately 100,000 individuals 17 who made 338,000 patient visits. A major 18 focus continues to be assisting 19 insurance-eligible health center patients 20 to become insured. Since FY03, this 21 initiative has increased the number of 22 health center insured visits from 36 23 percent to 49 percent, despite the 24 continued challenge of serving increasing 25 numbers of residents who are uninsured. 111 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. During the first quarter of FY06, 79 percent of new patients using the services of the health centers were uninsured. 6 million budget for FY07 comes from state and federal sources of funding. Our initial analysis of the Governor's proposed state budget is that level funding is expected in most areas, and increased funding is possible for the Children's Health Insurance Program, CHIP, and Adult Basic coverage for uninsured adults. The preliminary FY07 federal budget prepared by the President could have the effect of reducing funding for Department disease control, immunization, HIV/AIDS and air pollution control programs. We will monitor these developments closely over the next few months. Thank you for the opportunity to present testimony today, and I will be happy to answer questions at this time. 112 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC.

Thank you. Welcome and congratulations on your elevation. COMMISSIONER PARIS: Thank you. Thank you, President Verna.

Do you believe that PACCA is being given the necessary resources to carry out their mission and provide adequate levels of service? COMMISSIONER PARIS: PACCA is one of the divisions that we are -- one of the contracts that we're very, very well aware of the fact that more support is needed. To this effect, in Fiscal Year '06, in addition to the $2.35 that were assigned to it, we added $304,000, and we are now securing this money permanently. We think that, of course, more money, more resources could be placed into this agency, and what we have done in the Department to support their mission and their goals is to provide 113 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. them with in-kind services. We have provided them with the phone system. They use our phone system. They don't pay rent. They share space with one of our programs. We also take care of their utilities, and also we provide in-kind assistance through personnel. For example, our Office of Facilities Management have been the one providing for all the care of the facility, sustaining the facility. We have done electrical general repairs, HVAC repairs in the facility, and we've also provided technical support for the information systems.

I know that Councilman Kelly will have further questions on that, so I will continue on with my line of questioning. Can you bring us up to date on the Nursing Home? I believe you indicated who is managing it. Can you tell us the terms of their contract and what, if any, exposure does the City 114 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. have? COMMISSIONER PARIS: This is a yearly contract. We are very pleased with the fact that they have and continue to -- they have been providing excellent service, and they are within the budget. The risk for the City will be, if any, if there is a deficit at the end of the year. Right now we are paying approximately --

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're going to have to repeat that. If at the end of the year? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes. If at the end of the year there's a deficit, we will then subtract the management fee, which is anywhere between $700,000 and $800,000. Then whatever the difference is between the deficit and the management fee will be the responsibility of the City.

Okay. You mentioned that the City's health 115 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. centers have 338,000 patient visits in FY05. How many visits do you anticipate to have in FY06 and FY07, and can you tell us what is the average waiting time for a visit? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes, ma'am. Our visits for FY05 were 338,000, and we expect pretty much level for FY06-'07. Potentially a decrease, but not a significant decrease. Our projection right now is 330,000 visits for FY06.

And what is the average waiting time for a visit? COMMISSIONER PARIS: That is a complicated question, President. It depends on what appointment you're referring to. It depends if it's an adult visit or a pediatric visit. And it also has to do with which of the sites are we talking about. There is a larger demand in some of our -- much larger demand in some of our health centers than 116 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. others. On average, we have in some centers a waiting period for initial visit for adults for two months and, in general, for pediatrics for one week.

I do know that at some of the centers last year we were told that their waiting period was much longer than others. When you say two months for adults, is that the average? COMMISSIONER PARIS: That will be the average for an initial visit, ma'am. What that means is, if a person calls and says, I want to see a doctor for the first time in one of your health centers, we will let them know that there is an average wait of two months. That doesn't mean that if the person is ill or if the person makes any kind of request because he's not feeling well or the children is not well, we will then follow that with explaining what the walk-in policy in the centers are, which is 117 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. anybody that is ill can come in at any given day without an appointment and after being triaged by a nurse, they will see a physician.

Is this a new policy? COMMISSIONER PARIS: No, ma'am. This policy has been in effect forever.

My memory serves me that I believe it was the center at Broad and Lombard, it was testified to last year that the waiting period was so long and people who were quite ill could not get an appointment and they were told to go to another center somewhere in the Northeast where the demand was not quite as large as what we had downtown. So again I'm going to ask. The average waiting time for someone, say, at Broad and Lombard, and I'd like you to compare that to what the waiting period would be for one up in the Northeast. COMMISSIONER PARIS: I am a 118 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. little confused about the question, ma'am, because on Broad and Lombard what we have is the sexually transmitted diseases clinic.

I know. COMMISSIONER PARIS: And that is a walk-in -- there's no appointment given for receiving treatment on that clinic. That clinic is 100 percent run on a walk-in basis.

I'm going to have to look at the notes of testimony, because I recall that very, very distinctly. COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes.

Well, where is the one in South Philadelphia that -- COMMISSIONER PARIS: There's one on Broad and --

Tasker? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Broad and 119 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Tasker, ma'am.

Tasker, Morris. What's the waiting period there? COMMISSIONER PARIS: In that center as of March 1st was three months for our initial visit.

Supposing you have to go back, how long do you wait for a second visit? COMMISSIONER PARIS: It depends on the physician, ma'am, and the treatment. Our physicians have the authority that when they see you, if your condition calls for you to come back in two weeks, an appointment will be given to you in two weeks. What we have done is, we have given them the authority to be able to add on to their schedule as they see fit.

I know you said it's a three-month wait for the first visit, and you said that if I am ill and I went to the center, I would 120 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. be checked by a nurse? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes, ma'am.

Just walking in? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes, ma'am. You will walk in. You will sign in in the log. You will be called. You will be triaged by a nurse, and then depending upon the conclusion of the examination by the nurse, you will be seen by a physician.

That very day? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes, ma'am.

That very day? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes, ma'am.

This is much different testimony than I recall having heard in the past, to be very honest with you. However, I'm delighted 121 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. to hear that one can be checked on the same day and at least be diagnosed. Councilwoman Brown, your light was on, but I think it went off. Did you want to be recognized?

Thank you, Madam President. I mistouched it. My questions are actually for the next testifier, Julia Danzy. Thank you.

Okay. Councilman Ramos.

Thank you, Madam President. Ms. Paris, congratulations as well. COMMISSIONER PARIS: Thank you, sir.

I would probably need to have Dr. Mirchandani join you as well, because my line of questioning is more focused in on the Medical Examiner's Office. Is he here? I saw him earlier. There he is. Back in December, I introduced 122 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. a resolution calling for hearings in the Committee of Public Health and Human Services chaired by Councilwoman Marian Tasco to conduct hearings to investigate the policies and procedures of the City Medical Examiner's Office with regards to identifying missing persons. This came about particularly, one, because of my involvement in the issue after the young girl Latoiya Figueroa was missing, was found slain, but also that a missing girl by the name of Niecey Jefferson had been reported to have been found in the Medical Examiner's Office after two years. So we asked for the pathologist at the City Medical Examiner's Office -- a pathologist at the Medical Examiner's Office read a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer about Niecey Jefferson after her family attended the Missing Persons Conference on November 5th of last year, and information from this article 25 reminded this person that works in the 123 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Medical Examiner's Office that he had a body there that was there for about two years, came from the general area of where this young lady was last seen. We went on to hold public hearings on January the 5th concerning this very issue. During that hearing, we had a very good exchange on the involvement of the Medical Examiner's Office with the Police when it comes to missing persons and why this particular young lady who had disappeared two years earlier had been at the morgue all this time. A Mr. Quain of the Medical Examiner's Office testified that the Medical Examiner's Office as a remedy and as a way to improve on how you handle these cases, stated that the Medical Examiner's Office and the Missing Persons Unit of the Police Department would be meeting on a weekly basis. This was on January the 5th. Can you tell me, Ms. Paris or 124 3/8/06 - WHOLE - BILL 060001, ETC. Dr. Mirchandani, if these two departments are still meeting weekly, and what has been the nature of their discussions? COMMISSIONER PARIS: Yes. The departments are meeting weekly ever since the hearings were held. They are sharing information pertaining to the new cases, and we are even revisiting those cases that have been in file for quite some time.

So these meetings, they're structured meetings? COMMISSIONER PARIS: They're structured to happen, yes, sir.

To happen or they're happening? COMMISSIONER PARIS: They're happening since January.