Nurse testifies that restricted restroom access at Springs Rescue Mission poses public-health risks

Daniel Pruetz, a nurse and public-health advocate, told the council that clients at Springs Rescue Mission face limited access to restrooms because dining-hall toilets are being barricaded and some toilets are out of service. He said the protocol requires clients to exit and be re-screened to re-enter facilities, creating long waits and leading to instances of people "soil[ing] themselves, urinate and defecate outside the facility," which he said risks broader public-health impacts.

Pruetz urged staff and the council to make more restrooms available at all times, provide signage and hand sanitizer in dining areas, acknowledge grievances, and repair plumbing to restore adequate restroom-to-client ratios. He said his grievance to shelter management had not been resolved and called on the city to intervene.