A federal food assistance program could provide families in Hays, Williamson and Travis counties with more than $17.8 million to feed their kids over the summer if Texas decides to participate. But that’s a big if. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission missed the Jan. 1 deadline to tell the U.S. Department of Agriculture […]
Health and Human Services Department
This city department promotes community health through programs like WIC, maternal and child health, birth and death certificates, restaurant inspections, and grants administration.
Posted inHousing
County gets scoop on supportive housing construction plans
Last week, Health and Human Services updated the Commissioners Court on the Travis County Supportive Housing Initiative, a $110 million, American Rescue Plan Act-funded project to bring housing to very low-income residents. Much of the commissioners’ discussion centered on making sure that the county funding was going toward housing for tenants with track records of […]
Posted inPublic Health
County acknowledges lag on monkeypox vaccine supply
As of yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control is reporting 992 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Texas, 88 of which are in Travis County (nine confirmed and 79 “presumptive”). On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted to approve a continued declaration of disaster related to the virus. “While they’re labeled as presumed cases, pretty […]
Posted inPublic Health
County holds listening session as part of effort to fight public health crisis
Travis County Health and Human Services updated the Commissioners Court last week on the county’s May declaration of a public health crisis due to a sharp increase in drug overdose and opioid addiction rates. The declaration included eight directives from the Commissioners Court to help ameliorate the crisis. Part of that work included HHS and […]
Posted inPublic Health
County moves ahead with plan to expand community access to naloxone
Travis County Health and Human Services has identified a vendor to implement its plan to increase access to the opioid overdose-reversing drug naloxone in the community. The plan, which will cost approximately $350,000, is part of HHS’ response to the Travis County Commissioners Court’s May 24 declaration of a public health crisis related to drug […]
Posted inHousing
County, nonprofits prepare to administer supportive housing resolution
The Travis County Commissioners Court met for a work session Thursday to review the ongoing, federally funded affordable housing initiatives in the Austin area. Multiple nonprofits are preparing to build supportive housing in Travis County using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, earmarked for use by commissioners last year. The nine groups – the Other […]
Posted inTravis County
Commissioners applaud county’s assistance to ‘those who need help’
On Tuesday, Health and Human Services staffers gave commissioners a report from the Family Support Services Division, the section of HHS that operates out of community centers and provides basic services for low-income families. According to Kirsten Siegfried, HHS division director, the program has already spent double what it spent this time last year – […]
Posted inHousing
County mobilizes to reach residents who qualify for emergency rental assistance
On Aug. 3, the Travis County Commissioners Court fielded updates on the national Emergency Rental Assistance Program from Sherri Fleming with County Health and Human Services. The program concerns rental and utility assistance programs and initiatives made available from federal funds intended to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The update came as the […]
Posted inPublic Health
County looks to expand jail-diversion programs
The Travis County Commissioners Court discussed the prospect Tuesday of expanding the scope of the Austin-Travis County Sobering Center to include aid (in the form of jail diversion) to those experiencing homelessness and mental health issues. Currently, the Sobering Center provides an alternative to jail for those charged with public intoxication. Since its launch in […]
Posted inHousing
County prepares to launch emergency rental assistance program
County Executive Sherri Fleming spoke to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday to provide an update on the county’s emergency rental assistance program. She said Health and Human Services intends to begin outreach for the program on April 15. “We have several outreach materials which will be usable via social media,” Fleming said, describing a flyer […]
Posted inTravis County
County wants permanent supportive housing – but first, where’s the money?
The Commissioners Court fielded statements from county executives Tuesday regarding a negotiation to fund hundreds of units of permanent supportive housing. Justice and Public Safety Executive Roger Jefferies spoke, as well as Health and Human Services Executive Sherri Fleming. The proposal, Jefferies explained, was nothing new. In 2016, the Commissioners Court OK’d a similar collaboration between […]
Posted inEducation
Commissioners Court considers allocating additional funding for high-risk youth program
As public education moves from classrooms to screens in students’ homes, families’ need for support from educational institutions has increased. Students from vulnerable populations, in particular, benefit from personalized contact with someone in the Austin Independent School District, according to Allen Weeks, the executive director of Austin Voices for Education and Youth. “We’re really in […]