City of Benicia This Week
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In this edition: Benicia Permit Center Enhancements, Introducing SolanoConnex for Mental and Emotional Health Services, Community-Based Mobile Crisis Services Expanded, City Employee Spotlight, COVID Assistance
Message from the City Manager
November 15, 2021

Hello Everyone,
Today, below, we see another example of the continuing push to streamline and improve the customer service experience of those seeking permits from our Community Development Department. We will constantly be evaluating our performance in that respect with an eye towards continuous customer service improvements until we are the very best at what we do.
 
Additionally, you will see below that we now have a improved County mental health resource available as a web app, which includes access to mental health system ‘navigators’ who can help individuals navigate what can often be a complex and frustrating system. The County has also initiated a mobile crisis team approach county-wide. These mobile crisis teams will respond to people in mental health crisis. The idea is that these teams will be able to respond to those in mental health crisis during certain hours and days of the week. In some cases this will take the place of a police response. That said, it is important to keep in mind that some responses will still require a police response (for instance when there is a risk to life safety). This is an important program that police in Solano County have been requesting for many years. It is also important to understand that this program is truly in its infancy and will take some time to become fully functional. Challenges include increasing coverage hours, hiring and retaining competent staffing, and ensuring that there are actually locations that can accept and hold those who are in crisis for appropriate treatment. I know our police Chief and our City is in full support of this project.
 
Finally, and in closing, we have a very busy City Council agenda this coming Tuesday. First and discussion of our current face-covering resolution and the possible return to in-person Council meetings as well as the culmination of our water and wastewater rate proposals. I’m very pleased with the response I’ve heard from the community on this last issue recently. I believe the community understands the critical importance of moving our water and wastewater infrastructure into a future that ensures we will have a safe and reliable system. We appreciate your trust, and we will, as is our vision, work to ensure we have the most outstanding, efficient, and reliable system anywhere. We also understand we have a lot of work to get done with these increased resources.

Thank you for your interest in the City of Benicia This Week!

Erik Upson
City Manager
City News
Benicia Permit Center Enhancements
In June 2021, the City of Benicia launched the Benicia Permit Center, an online permit portal that offers an expanded range of self-service, online and remote permitting features. The Benicia Permit Center serves as the hub for all permit applications to all permitting departments, allowing members of the public to submit and track applications, as well as pay permit and licensing fees online. The permit center also allows applicants to see live status updates on their applications, communicate directly with city staff, reduce paper consumption, and eliminate the need to wait in line at City Hall.
 
Following the launch of the Benicia Permit Center, the Community Development Department has continued to expand online permitting services. In September, the City launched an automated permit system for residential reroof permits – allowing applicants to submit and receive their building permit online within minutes. The automated process still maintains the same high level of safety and code compliance as the standard process, but dramatically cuts wait time and improves overall efficiency. To date, the City has issued 39 residential reroof permits under the automated process. The City will continue to explore options for expedited and automated issuance of similar permits, including residential solar, moving forward. 
 
Please note that because permit applications are now received, reviewed and issued via the Benicia Permit Center, the Community Development Department no longer holds daily counter hours. They can be reached by phone during business hours at 707.746.4230 as well as online via the Benicia Permit Center’s application comments section, and are available for in-person meetings by appointment. More information about permitting services, staff contact information and inspections can be found online at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/building. 
Introducing SolanoConnex for Mental and Emotional Health Services
Solano County officials, in partnership with Touro University, are pleased to announce the launch of SolanoConnex, a new web-app that lists more than 100 mental and emotional health services available throughout Solano County. The web-app is free, easy-to-use, includes live support and is available in three languages, including English, Spanish and Tagalog.
 
“This web-app is a resource that anyone can use, whether you are a parent looking for emotional support, or someone experiencing feelings of depression and anxiety,” said Dr. Sarah Sweitzer, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Touro University, California. “We are so pleased to have partnered with Solano County on finding a way to increase access to mental health services.” 
 
SolanoConnex is a 3-year project managed by Touro University, California, with funding provided by the Solano County Board of Supervisors. SolanoConnex is designed to improve access to mental and emotional health resources for all residents in Solano County. This project is in response to findings from a 2018 Human Services Needs Assessment, a survey that showed nearly half of all people who seek help for mental health conditions never gain access the services they need.
 
To access the SolanoConnex web-app, visit www.SolanoConnex.org on a smartphone, computer, tablet, or any device with internet access. Simply click on the type of service(s) you are looking for and providers will be listed in order of proximity to your location. Services are verified on a regular basis. Additionally, mental health navigators are available by text, email and phone to assist in accessing services, including guiding residents through the web-app and helping them find appropriate services based on their needs. Click here for instructions on how to save SolanoConnex to your phone.
 
Providers who are interested in being listed in the app can contact SolanoConnex@gmail.com.
 
For more information, visit http://solanoconnex.tu.edu and find them @SolanoConnex on Facebook and Instagram.
Community-Based Mobile Crisis Services Expanded
Uplift Family Services and Solano County Behavioral Health are pleased to announce the expansion of their Mobile Crisis Response Program in Solano County in partnership with the Vallejo Police Department and Benicia Police Department. The program was initially launched in May 2021 in Fairfield and Suisun City.
 
“We are proud of this partnership that enables us to further serve this community holistically,” Benicia Police Chief Mike Greene said. “We look forward to working cooperatively to provide this important service in Benicia.”
 
Uplift Family Services has expanded the program to the cities of Vallejo and Benicia and will receive dispatch calls to provide crisis response services through the local police departments. This service is available from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday through Friday, but will extend to 7 days per week coverage upon full implementation. A phone number for community members to access will be coming soon. Thanks to the success already experienced, the program will continue to grow over the next several months. The goal is to provide services throughout all of Solano County in partnership with cities and stakeholders.
 
Through a contract with Solano County Behavioral Health, Uplift Family Services has hired clinicians, case managers, and peer support specialists to go into the community as a team to support children, youth, and adults in crisis regardless of insurance or immigration status. The program mission is to de-escalate high-pressure situations, link people to necessary services, and support the coordination of care with appropriate agencies.
 
In Fairfield and Suisun City, the team already is seeing an increase in collaboration between community members, police departments, and behavioral health programs to address those experiencing mental health crises. During the past two months, the team has responded to 24 community calls and over 50% of individuals have accessed our face-to-face crisis services. Prior to this pilot program, individuals were struggling to get support and navigating where to go during a mental health crisis.
 
Solano County Behavioral Health is proud to launch this vital program along with a new contract with Medic Ambulance to support community transports to prevent individuals in crisis being transported in a police car, reducing trauma. These long-awaited service requested by community members, persons served, family members and stakeholders, are funded by Solano County and the voter approved Proposition 63, Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) as described in the Integrated Three-Year Plan. 
City Employee Spotlight
Joining the City of Benicia in 2010 as a part-time ESL (English As a Second Language) instructor, Bette Bogart, entered her current position as the Adult Literacy and ESL Program Coordinator at the Benicia Public Library in 2012.

“I am extremely fortunate to be working in the gem of Benicia (the Library) in the most inspiring and rewarding job I have ever had the opportunity to do,” says Bette.

As coordinator of the Library’s Adult Literacy Program, Bette coordinates and encourages English speaking and English as a second language (ESL) adult learners to increase their reading and writing abilities. Students are interviewed to determine individual goals and then invited to join ongoing classes to learn with others or with a literacy tutor. With weekly small classes that encourages individual and group learning, students reach a wide array of goals often taken for granted. Students become productive citizens of our community by getting their drivers’ license, gaining employment, voting and even graduating with their high school diploma. 

Additionally, Bette coordinates and trains tutors to provide one-on-one services to our learners. Even now when classes are not held inside the Library, Bette has been innovative with holding classes outdoors to small groups of three to ten dedicated learners. During the pandemic the program continued reaching students virtually via Zoom and Bette even mailed individualized packets to learners to continue their learning goals. 

Benicia Library's Literacy Program is one of the longest running in the State starting back in 1987 and continues to be supported by a grant from the California State Library to provide free, private reading and writing tutoring to anyone over 16 years of age, who is out of school, speaks English and reads at less than a 6th grade level. In 1996, due to community need, ESL classes were added to the Library's program. Since then, the program has continued to grow, reaching a high point in participation during the 2018-2019 year, including 39 volunteer tutors, 44 ESL learners, 36 Adult and GED students, and two credentialed instructors. The 44 ESL learners represented 26 mother countries and 20 foreign/home languages. Literacy programs in California’s public libraries change the lives of nearly 16,000 Californians every year and Bette’s tenure with the Library’s Literacy Program is a tribute to supporting this important segment of the population that adds to the success of the community with learners that are flourishing!

Bette’s background includes growing up with a close twin sister and loving parents, a doctor and a nurse, who instilled passions for education, reading, art, music, nature, animals, people of the world, and most of all, giving back. Receiving a BA in French (major) and Art (minor) at Scripps College, Bette became an army wife, living in many states, teaching GED to the GI’s in Germany and ESL for two years in Mexico City. Then, as a single parent, came a twenty plus year career in Human Resources with Corporate Training and Employee Relations Counselling as her specialties. Then came her work in Literacy. Bette earned her Adult Education Teaching Credential from UC Berkeley.

On a personal note, Bette is blessed with two wonderful grown children, Matt and Holly, and three precious grandchildren, David, Charlotte and Penny. The two families live nearby in Livermore and Albany, for which she is thankful.
COVID Assistance
Find vaccine locations, resources and information for seniors, local food access, basic needs and rental assistance, mental health, stress and coping, and more courtesy of Solano County Public Health. Benicia residents in need of help during these difficult times may find assistance through these local resources:
Press Releases

Recent City of Benicia Press Releases are available on the City of Benicia website under Main/Announcements.
Save the Date
  • Nov 15 - Community Sustainability Commission meeting, 6 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Nov 16 - City Council meeting, 6 p.m. via livestream. Watch live at https://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/agendas. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Nov 17 - Economic Development Board meeting, 5:30 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
  • Nov 18 - Historic Preservation Review Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m. via livestream. See the Full Agenda for more information.
Modified service due to COVID-19
City Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you require entrance to City Hall offices outside of these hours, please make arrangements with staff from the department that you will be visiting.

All visitors shall be required to enter City Hall from East L street through the door located on the left (East) side of the building closest to the Post Office. Please check in with the staff person at the designated Welcome Window.

You will be required to wear a face covering over both your nose and mouth for the duration of your visit to City Hall. Please maintain 6 feet of social distancing between other visitors and staff. Do not visit City Hall if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Appointments can always be rescheduled.
City of Benicia This Week is published each Monday morning. Previous editions are available here. We also communicate on Nextdoor.com and AlertSolano.com. Sign up now!