Everett Adds Director of Public Health and Safety Position

Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson has announced another move to address issues on the city”s streets. He’s created a new position of Public Health and Safety Director and appointed a city Prosecutor to the Post. Here are the details…

Mayor Ray Stephanson has appointed Hil Kaman, currently the City’s lead prosecutor, to a newly created position of Director of Public Health and Safety. Kaman will oversee the City’s efforts to address community issues related to homelessness, mental illness and substance-use disorders.

“We need ongoing leadership within the City and in the broader community to ensure that we are using public resources effectively and efficiently to tackle these complex, deep-seated challenges,” said Stephanson. “Hil has been actively involved in all of our efforts and has a clear passion for these issues.”

In the new role, Kaman will provide policy guidance and coordinate with City departments to carry out the goals of the Everett Safe Streets plan, partner with outside agencies and nonprofits addressing similar issues, and lead community engagement and education efforts around these topics. Kaman heads up the City’s Chronic Utilizers Alternative Response Team (CHART) and work crew program in his current position, and is the legal advisor to the Everett Police Department.

“It’s been an honor to work alongside service providers and community members who are committed to finding new and better ways to serve the most vulnerable among us,” said Kaman. “I look forward to continuing the collaboration between criminal justice and social services to ensure a safe and vibrant Everett for all our citizens.”

Kaman has worked in the Prosecutor’s Office since 2007, and was appointed lead prosecutor in December 2013. He was part of the team that helped establish the Municipal Court’s first therapeutic court, the Mental Health Alternatives Program.

The City’s current efforts grew out of the recommendations of the Everett Community Streets Initiative task force, a group of 23 community members, nonprofit leaders and government officials convened by Mayor Stephanson in 2014 to identify challenges and potential solutions to the community’s ongoing street-level social issues. In September 2015 the City launched the comprehensive Safe Streets plan, which builds on strategies identified by the task force, and focuses on housing, enforcement and outreach, and diversion programs to effectively address challenges like homelessness, mental illness and addiction.

Stephanson expressed his gratitude to Deputy City Attorney David Hall for shepherding the task force and leading the initial implementation phase and to Julie Frauenholtz for her role in building community partnerships and public engagement around the Streets Initiative recommendations.

“I want to recognize David for spearheading our initial efforts and for bringing his compassion, creativity and knowledge to our work,” said Stephanson. “I’m also grateful to the United Way for supporting the Streets Initiative through the coordinator position. Julie has been instrumental in helping us begin to put the task force recommendations into action.”

Since last fall, the City has established a dedicated Community Outreach and Enforcement team within the police department, hired the first of two embedded social workers, launched the work crew program, and partnered with the YWCA and Catholic Housing Services to house chronically homeless individuals. Learn more at www.everettwa.gov/safestreets.