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- How Trump’s federal funding freeze is beginning to affect Austin
- APD won’t enforce SB 14 as Paxton and Trump further attack gender-affirming health care
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Public Safety
Researchers at Dell Med are studying psychedelics as treatment for severe depression, anxiety and PTSD
The Dell Medical School at UT Austin is launching a research center focused on studying the therapeutic effects of psychedelics, which are drugs that affect an individual’s state of consciousness, including psilocybin, MDMA, ibogaine and ayahuasca. Researchers say the center’s…
Public Health • By Ashley Lopez, KUT • Dec 16, 2021
County renews agreement for substance use treatment services
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved and ratified an amendment to the substance use disorder managed services agreement for the 2022 fiscal year. The interlocal agreement between the city, the county and Integral Care is aimed at contracting…
Public Health • By Seth Smalley • Dec 16, 2021
Council extends masking rules to June
After hearing from Dr. Desmar Walkes, health authority for Austin-Travis County, at a joint meeting with the Travis County Commissioners Court Tuesday, City Council voted to extend the current health authority rules until June 10, 2022. Commissioners also acted to…
Public Health • By Jo Clifton • Dec 15, 2021
Council debates path forward on paid family leave for emergency services employees
City Council weighed the implications of significantly expanding benefits for emergency services employees this past Thursday in a resolution that calls for a new family leave policy for the city’s EMS, police, and fire departments. The resolution, sponsored by Council…
Public Safety • By Kali Bramble • Dec 14, 2021
Moving encampments off public streets has made it more difficult to provide medical support to Austin’s unhoused
The camping ban set back years of progress local emergency services made in serving people experiencing homelessness, making it harder and more expensive to respond to an increase in emergency calls, according to a top emergency services official. The ban…
EMS • By Samuel Stark • Dec 14, 2021
Public Safety Commission hears update on police academy after reset
This week the Public Safety Commission heard an update on the Austin Police Department’s first cadet class since pausing cadet training to restructure the curriculum to align with the city’s reimagining public safety process. Dr. Anne Kringen, who joined APD…
Police • By Amy Smith • Dec 10, 2021
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'Corporal' added to law enforcement roster in Travis County
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved the addition of a new “corporal” position, and its related funding, to the existing lineup of titles in law enforcement in the county. In terms of rank, the position will be situated…
Public Safety • By Seth Smalley • Dec 8, 2021
Search for new EMS chief still under wraps
As with last month’s meeting of the Public Safety Commission, Assistant City Manager Rey Arellano had little to report regarding the nationwide search for a new chief of Austin-Travis County Emergency Services. At Monday’s commission meeting, Arellano reported there were…
EMS • By Amy Smith • Dec 7, 2021
County approves half a million for better DNA analysis
The Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to approve a three-year grant award for $573,637 to expand DNA testing ability at the Austin Police Department. The money, sourced from the Department of Justice, will also cover the cost of hiring…
Public Safety • By Seth Smalley • Dec 1, 2021
New collaborative hopes to address equity gaps in Austin's response to homelessness
Austin has consistently struggled to get people living outdoors into homes. Part of that failure lies in the city’s unprecedented real estate boom and affordability crisis over the last 10 years. Another reason is that people of color, who are overrepresented among…
Public Health • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Nov 23, 2021
Equity study attempts to mitigate long-standing health disparities
A new report by a city-appointed firm found that local medical and emergency service providers could do more to help address sharp health disparities in East and West Austin. The equity study, which was completed this summer by Public Consulting Group,…
Public Health • By Samuel Stark • Nov 19, 2021
Resilience hub initiative continues to evolve
Winter Storm Uri, the extreme weather event that left an unknown number of Austin residents dead last February, inspired the initiative to create resilience hubs across the city that would act as a public resource in times of crisis. The initial…
