Central Health leaders signaled they may seek to curtail or end contracts with the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School over objections to the university’s firing all staff involved in diversity, equity and inclusion programs in April. At last week’s meeting of Central Health’s budget and finance committee, discussion turned to the health care district’s […]
Travis County Central Health
Health organization that provides care and improves service for uninsured individuals in Travis County.
Posted inBudget
Central Health board gives first OK to new tax rate, considers future revenue options
Central Health’s Board of Managers is preparing to set a higher tax rate. Its new property tax rate will be almost 10.8 cents per $100 of taxable value, which will translate to an increase of $66 per year for owners of homes with a taxable value of just over $500,000. The board gave approval at […]
Posted inPublic Health
A health clinic for low-income residents was supposed to open in Del Valle last year. Where is it?
Nearly four years ago, the Del Valle community was promised a health center that would offer dentistry, primary care, mental health services and a pharmacy. This clinic, a collaboration between Central Health and CommUnityCare, would expand access to health care and serve low-income residents in Eastern Travis County. Construction workers broke ground on the Del Valle Health […]
Posted inPublic Health
Central Health talks new facilities, services in advance of 2025 budget
Travis County’s public hospital district that funds medical care for low-income residents plans to accelerate its introduction of new clinical services in its next budget year. Care for psychiatry, endocrinology and rheumatology are among the new offerings on tap in part because of budget reserves that are higher than anticipated. At a community forum on […]
Posted inCourts
Judge rejects appeal in Central Health lawsuit
Judge Amy Clark Meachum has rejected a request by plaintiffs suing Central Health to take an immediate appeal to the 3rd Court of Appeals over the agency’s transfer of $35 million per year to the University of Texas Dell Medical School. The plaintiffs – Rebecca Birch, Richard Franklin III and Esther Govea – say voters […]
Posted inCourts
Judge considering lawsuit against Central Health
After hearing about two hours of arguments on Thursday, Travis County District Judge Amy Clark Meachum told attorneys for Travis County’s health care district and the three taxpayers who are suing Central Health, over its use of $35 million per year in taxpayer money that she would take their arguments under advisement. She directed both […]
Posted inPublic Health
Central Health board focuses on equity as it expands access to specialty care
Following a 2018 performance review, Travis County hospital district Central Health analyzed the county health care system, searching for service gaps among its target safety-net population. The county queried its population’s access to eight lines of service, from primary to specialty and dental care. The report returned checkered in bright red, reporting severe or moderate-to-severe gaps in every […]
Posted inPublic Health
Central Health to spend millions on opioid abatement
Central Health, Travis County’s hospital district serving low-income residents, is due to receive over $3 million from the state’s opioid abatement trust fund this spring. An allocation of nearly $10 million more – largely “front-loaded” – will be disbursed over the next 18 years. In their Strategic Planning Committee Meeting on March 6, administrators, medical […]
Posted inPublic Health
Questions abound over pilot program for mental health diversion
As City Council is set to consider authorizing negotiations on a contract that would include allocating $2 million for a mental health diversion pilot program, a lot of questions remain unanswered. On Tuesday, Mayor Kirk Watson started the work session discussion by asking Robert Kingham, administrator of the Downtown Austin Community Court, about how much […]
Posted inPublic Health
Commission questions what Central Health is doing to address persistent disparities in health access
The Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission heard key findings of Central Health’s 2022 Demographic Report at its regular meeting on Jan. 3. Central Health updated the report in February 2023, finding that Austin’s high cost of living and affordability crisis has morphed into a regional one that is impacting Travis and surrounding counties. Austin is […]
Posted inTravis County
Experience, communication help Margaret Gómez tackle difficult issues
With more time logged in office than the other commissioners on the court, Travis County Precinct 4 Commissioner Margaret Gómez is able to bring a long-term perspective to county government. Gómez took office in 1995, making her the longest-tenured commissioner currently in office. But her career with the county began long before that. A graduate […]
Posted inBudget
Commissioners pass health district tax increase but plan increased scrutiny
On their second attempt, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted 4-1 to approve a tax increase and 3-1 to approve the 2024 budget for the county health care district. The votes increase the tax rate to 10.07 cents per $100 valuation. With rising home values, this will add about $56 to an average home’s yearly […]