AUSTIN (KXAN) — An inside audit on the Northbridge Shelter carried out by the Austin Public Health Department, or APH, discovered “insufficient evidence” to help current reviews of unsafe conditions at the shelter, in line with a memo.
Recent reviews claimed that weapons and medicines/drug paraphernalia have been allowed within the shelter, nonetheless, the memo states that these gadgets are confiscated throughout consumption and common room checks.
Clients are required to give up unsafe gadgets like knives, weapons, and many others. earlier than coming into the shelter, and the gadgets are tagged and stored in a safe location for the purchasers to gather after they go away the shelter, the memo acknowledged.
If a shopper brings medicine or drug paraphernalia into the shelter, safety employees confiscates the gadgets throughout consumption and offers them to the Austin Police Department for destruction.
The memo states that shelter employees carry out frequent room checks to make sure that unsafe gadgets and medicines/drug paraphernalia aren’t within the constructing.
If gadgets are discovered throughout room checks, they’re confiscated, and purchasers obtain warnings. Clients could be discharged after receiving multiple warning, however that occurs on a case-by-case foundation, in line with the memo.
Staff at the Northbridge Shelter are skilled on administering Narcan. According to the memo, because the shelter’s opening, just one overdose loss of life has occurred there, which occurred in October 2022.
The inside audit additionally concluded there have been no incidents of bodily abuse reported to administration, and APD reported they didn’t obtain any calls that indicated a sample of violent crime at the shelter, the memo acknowledged. Incidents involving violent crime may end up in the concerned purchasers being eliminated.
A security evaluation of the shelter by APD discovered that communication on the shelter’s behavioral expectations was good however not enforced, the memo stated. Recommendations to enhance security have been supplied, and APH has already began implementing the next measures, in line with the memo:
- Securing quotes for a wooden fence across the property, together with the parking space alongside the frontage highway that has beforehand not been included within the fencing efforts at Northbridge.
- Repairing exterior lights.
- Trimming timber to enhance exterior sightlines.
- Scheduling the set up of “no trespassing” indicators alongside the shelter fencing.
- Securing quotes for a guard shack for the out of doors entry level (estimated value is $3,000).
- Providing safety employees with up to date lists and images of present purchasers.
- Submitting work orders for repairs to peep holes and window locks.
- Storing safety footage on a cloud-based platform (storage is for 2 weeks).
- Increasing the frequency of room checks.
- The Homeless Strategy Officer continues to guage the advice of an armed guard.
