RCLLG October Newsletter

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Newsletter Content:

1. Save the Date for the Annual Dinner & Program

2. RSVP for the November Program

3. October Program Summary 

4. Previous RCLLG Monthly Programs

Save the Date!

Dr. Irina Fursman

Co-Founder & CEO HueLife

RCLLG Annual Dinner & Program

Thursday, December 15th

5:00 - 8:00 PM

Join your fellow RCLLG members as we convene, in-person, for our annual dinner and program. Our featured speaker will be Dr. Irina Fursman, Co-Founder and CEO of HueLife. Registration and more details coming soon! 

R.S.V.P. for our November Program

RCLLG Monthly Programs are open to all elected/appointed officials and staff of RCLLG member organizations.

There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.

Veteran's Day Program

Friday, November 11 | 7:30 – 9:00 AM | Zoom Meeting

Join us for a special Veteran’s Day program during which we will be recognizing and honoring our member veterans, as well as sharing information about veteran mental health and resources available to support the veterans in our communities.

Attendance is FREE! All RCLLG member communities and organizations are invited – please share this invitation with your elected officials and staff!

RCLLG October Program Summary

Last Friday, October 14th, RCLLG members attended the members' program “Responding to the Homelessness Crisis," in which Roseville and Maplewood public safety leaders shared philosophies, policies and resources that provide a humane and effective response to a homelessness crisis.

Marylee Abrams, Mayor of Maplewood and RCLLG Vice President, introduced the speakers. The speakers included:

• Ryan Schroeder, Assistant Fire Chief, City of Maplewood
• Jerry Novak, Battalion Chief/Fire Marshal, City of Maplewood
• Erika Scheider, Chief of Police, City of Roseville

The Maplewood duo explained their approaches to addressing homelessness and what to do in the event of an encampment. Maplewood’s approach is a balanced approach – with kindness, compassion, and a focus on connecting individuals to resources. The City of Maplewood uses a response matrix, detailing what actions should be taken upon notification of an encampment and what steps should be taken dependent on whether the property is private or public, whether there are health or safety concerns, and more. Currently, Maplewood is down to 4 unsheltered individuals in the city. 

The City of Roseville was influenced to use Maplewood's matrix in their own community. Roseville's team uses a holistic and proactive approach, utilizing their homeless outreach coordinator, Cari McCollor. Their Community Action Team (CAT) consists of six officers, one housing navigator/homeless outreach coordinator, and two embedded social workers.

Tools/Resources

When asked what their 'wish list' would be in regards to addressing the issue of homelessness, it was evident that more funding is needed in order to push for social workers to be embedded into communities. This was extremely important for Cari’s position in Roseville, for example.

Collaborative discussion and questions followed among RCLLG members. As there isn't one community or group assigned to address homelessness, it is crucial we have these discussions. Tackling this issue includes passing legislation and removing barriers in connecting individuals to resources. Check out the notes to see resources and links shared with the group!

Download the Maplewood Presentation

Download the Roseville Presentation

January: On January 21, we held a legislative update in which we heard from multiple State legislators. The members of RCLLG and the Minnesota State Representatives talked about a variety of issues, including mental health, housing, education, crime, climate change, and more. We heard what bills our legislators are creating and supporting, especially those regarding mental health.

February: On February 11, we heard from a panel of community service organizations who focus on food security. This meeting provided an opportunity for RCLLG members to learn how food is brought to those in need in our communities, and how we as local government entities can find some ways to provide support individually or collectively.

March: On March 11, we heard from Maplewood's Mental Health Outreach Team (MHOT) and Roseville's Community Action Team (CAT) on their challenges and benefits in embedding a social worker into their emergency response teams.

April: On April 8, RCLLG members attended "Mental Health: From Pandemic to Endemic" and heard from representatives from Ramsey County and NAMI Minnesota on we can learn to live with the pandemic’s effects and understand how the past two years has affected mental health in our communities.

May: On May 13, we learned about workforce trends in Ramsey County, and heard from Erin Olsen, Director of Strategic Research at RealTime Talent; Ling Becker, Director of Workforce Solutions at Ramsey County; Mike Hauswirth, St. Paul Chamber’s Education and Workforce Committee; and Jenny Moore, Career Pathways Coordinator for White Bear Lake Area Schools and White Bear Chamber of Commerce Member.

June: On June 10, we attended the “Ramsey County Public Safety Update” program, in which Ramsey County Attorney John Choi shared data from his office related to recent increases in violent crime and described how he and other county leaders have responded. He also discussed new sources of funding, relevant policies and initiatives, & legislative efforts.

July: No Meeting

August: Member Social

September: On September 9, a program on “A View of Mental Health in the Classroom," took place, in which three school-based social workers in Ramsey County shared what mental health challenges look like in the classroom at the K-12 level, including the current tools they use to address these challenges.