[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
TRIBES COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, REGULAR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, REGULAR MEETING.WE ARE ADJOURN OR COMING TO ORDER, I'M SORRY, JUMPED AHEAD OF TIME, UH, AT 2 35 TODAY.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM FOLKS? OKAY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON JUNE 4TH, 2025.DO WE HAVE A MOVEMENT FOR APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES? I'LL MOVE THE MOTION.
AND SECOND, I'LL SECOND THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS TO THE MOTION? SO MOOT.
WE ARE APPROVING THOSE MINUTES FROM, UH, LAST MONTH'S MEETING OR JU JUNE'S MEETING.
AND THEN LET'S VOTE ON THOSE MEETING, UH, AND COMMISSIONERS.
ALSO, PLEASE REMEMBER, IN ORDER TO VOTE, YOU MUST BE ON CAMERA, UM, ALL APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, SAY I OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
[STAFF BRIEFINGS]
ON TO OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS.WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING FROM JUANITA JACKSON, STAFF LIAISON WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ON BILL'S PAST DURING THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATION LEGISLATIVE SEASON SESSION WOW.
AS THEY RELATE TO PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, AND ALL COMMISSIONERS ONLINE.
UM, I WILL BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
UM, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE NOW IN A SPECIAL SESSION, BUT AS FAR AS THE 89TH, UM, LEGISLATIVE SESSION WENT, UM, LET ME GO TO THE RIGHT SLIDE, UM, HERE BRIEFLY.
I'LL JUST GO OVER, UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND A LEGISLATIVE BILL.
I KNOW THAT MIGHT, SEEMS RUDIMENTARY, BUT I THINK SOME PEOPLE REALLY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
AND SO I JUST KIND OF WANNA BREAK THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I'LL JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BILLS THAT WERE RECEIVED THROUGH OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL OFFICE AND THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, DEPARTMENT TRACKED.
AND THEN A FEW OF THE TOPICS THAT ARE KEY TO PUBLIC HEALTH THAT WE LOOKED AT ARE THE IMMUNIZATION AND VACCINATION BILLS, THE FOOD AND MOBILE FOOD, UM, PERMITTING BILLS, DRUGS, DRUG USE, DRUG TESTING, AND OPIOIDS.
THOSE ARE ALL GONNA BE KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENED.
AND THEN LOOKING AT THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, INCLUDING THE LGBTQA PLUS AND DISCRIMINATION BILLS.
AND THEN WE'LL BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
AND I OMITTED THE, UM, E-CIGARETTE BILLS, BUT THEY ALSO FALL UP UNDER THERE.
AND I DIDN'T REALLY GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM, I'LL DEFINITELY, UM, A ANSWER THOSE IF YOU NEED TO.
SO, UM, EXECUTIVE BILL EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE DIRECTIVES THAT ARE ISSUED BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, TYPICALLY BY OUR PRESIDENT OR THE GOVERNOR.
UM, AND THOSE, WHENEVER THE E AN EXECUTIVE ORDER IS, UM, ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENT OR GOVERNOR, IT IS, UM, DIRECTLY, UM, INVOLVED WITH THEIR DECISIONS OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO.
IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE, OF AN EXECUTIVE ORDER IS REALLY TO MANAGE THE OPERATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT, OR TO CLARIFY AND ENFORCE EXISTING LAWS.
UM, THERE SHOULD BE CHECKS AND BALANCES, UM, WHICH CAN BE OVERTURNED BY COURTS OR APPEALED BY, UM, FUTURE EXECUTIVES.
AND THEN, UM, EXECUTIVE ORDERS REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL REVOKED, AMENDED OR FOUND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
SO THE KEY TAKEAWAY FOR EXECUTIVE ORDERS IS THAT THEY ARE ALL, THEY ALLOW SHIFT ON UNILATERAL ACTION WITHIN OUR, WITHIN THE LEGAL LIMITS.
AND THE, AND IT, MY TONGUE IS TIED LEGISLATIVE BILLS.
UM, THE PURPOSE IS, UM, TO PROPOSE LAWS PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATOR FOR ENACTMENT.
UM, THEY ARE, THE, THE SOURCE OF AUTHORITY IS OUR CONGRESS OR STATE LEGISLATURE.
UM, THEY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BEING INTRODUCED, UM, DEBATED, AMENDED, AND THEN VOTED ON AND THEN SIGNED INTO LAW OR VETOED.
AND THE PURPOSE OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS, OF COURSE, IS TO CREATE MODIFY OR REPEAL LAWS AND ALLOCATE RESOURCES, WHICH ALSO HAS CHECKS AND BALANCES, AND ARE SUBJECT TO THE VETO BY THE EXECUTIVE, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY OUR GOVERNORS, UM, GOVERNORS OF OUR STATE AND CAN BE OVERTURNED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
THEY ARE PERMANENT IN STATUTE AND CAN BE REPEALED OR AMENDED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
AND THEY, OF COURSE, UM, THE, THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY WITH LEGISLATIVE BILLS INVOLVE A COLLABORATION
[00:05:01]
BETWEEN THE DEMOCRAT, UM, BASED ON THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.UM, SO HERE BRIEFLY, THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THEIR REGULAR SESSION WAS 9,014 BILLS.
UM, THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT OUR, UM, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE TRACKED WAS 1,499.
AND SO FAR WE ONLY HAD, UM, 26 THAT WERE VETOED.
UM, AND I, I'LL BYPASS THAT BY SAYING SOME BILLS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN VETOED CAN ALSO COME BACK.
UM, FOR, UM, RECONSIDERATION, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WERE ASSIGNED 149 BILLS, AND WE TRACKED SO FAR, UM, AT THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, 149 BILLS.
AND ALSO AS OF THE JUNE 22ND DATE, WE ONLY HAD, WE HAD 24 OF THOSE BILLS THAT WERE PASSED.
SO UNDER OUR IMMUNIZATION AND VACCINATION BILLS, THERE WERE A FEW, UM, BILLS THAT, THAT REALLY WENT THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM.
UM, SPECIFICALLY, UM, SB 94, WHICH PROHIBIT SCHOOLS HIGH, UM, HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND CHILDREN, CHILDCARE FACILITIES FROM DENYING ADMISSION TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE, WHO HAVE, UM, SUBMITTED DOCUMENTATION, UM, FOR VACCINATION EXEMPTION THAT BILL PASSED.
UM, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OTHERS THAT WERE ALSO PERTINENT TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, WHICH IS HB 1586.
UM, IT REVISES THE IMMUNIZATION EXEMPTION PROCESS BY REMOVING SECURITY RESTRICTIONS ON AFFILIATED, UM, ON AFFIDAVIT FORMS, ENABLING UNRESTRICTED, UM, PUBLIC ACCESS ONLINE.
UM, THIS BILL PASSED ALSO, UM, AND IT IS SUBJECT TO BE EFFECTIVE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD TWO IDENTICAL BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND IN THE SENATE, UM, SB 46 AND H, UM, HOUSE BILL 7 72, WHICH ELIMINATED THE CONSENT BASED, UM, OPT, OPT-IN SYSTEM FOR TEXAS IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY AND REPLACES IT WITH AN OPT-OUT MODEL, UM, SIGNIFYING ALTERING HOW IMMUNIZATION DATA IS COLLECTED.
AND SO BASICALLY, I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GO OVER WHAT WAS THE IMPACTS TO THAT.
UM, MOST OF THESE BILLS ALL KIND OF READ THE SAME TO SOME DEGREE WITH VARIATIONS OF WHAT WAS IMPACTED, WHETHER IT WAS SCHOOLS, UM, FACILITIES, UM, THE OVERALL OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.
AND SO WHAT THE BILL DOES IS, IS DECREASES IMMUNIZATION COMPLIANCE, UM, WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, INCREASES RISK OF, UM, OUTBREAK CREATING, UM, AN ADMINISTRATIVE GAP THAT CAN BE, UM, EXPLOITED DELAY, UM, DELAYING ENFORCEMENT OF IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS.
OF COURSE, THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, UM, DS, UM, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL, UM, SOCIAL HEALTH, UH, DSHS MUST, UM, UPGRADE THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE TO HANDLE DIGITAL AFFIDAVITS, UM, REQUESTS AND TO MAINTAIN RECEIPT OF GENERATIONS.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER IMPACTS IS DATA COLLECTION AND TRACKING, UM, SCHOOLS AND, UM, CHILDCARE CENTERS WILL NEED TO MONITOR PENDING AFFIDAVIT, UM, REQUEST CLOSELY, UM, UM, ADDING TO COMPLIANCE OVERSIGHT AND WORKLOAD.
AGAIN, THERE ARE A FEW OTHER BILLS, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MAIN THINGS.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, OF COURSE, IT, IT, THE IMPACT INCLUDES WEAKENING THE IMMUNIZATION COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THE IMMUNIZATION BILLS THAT WERE PASSED THROUGH THROUGH THE, UM, LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THEN WE GO INTO THE FOOD REGULATION AND MOBILE FOOD PERMITTING.
UM, AGAIN, THERE WERE A COUPLE BILLS THAT WERE REALLY IMPACTFUL TO, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH, SPECIFICALLY SB UM, 10 10 0 8 AND HB, UM, HOUSE BILL 28 44.
UM, THESE BILLS ENHANCE UNIFORMITY AND REMOVES BURDENS ON SMALL SCALE AND MOBILE OPERATIONS.
IT SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, RESTRICTS LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICTS FROM IMPOSING FOOD REGULATED, UM, FOOD RELATED PERMITTING CERTIFICATION AND FEE REQUIREMENTS, UM, BEYOND THOSE ALREADY, UM, REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
UM, THIS CREATES GAPS IN LOCAL ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY, DELAYING LOCALIZED, UM, RESPONSES TO FOODBORNE ILLNESSES AND OUTBREAKS.
UM, AND AS A RESULT, THE, IN THE LOSS OF PERMITTING FEES, AND AS A RESULT, UM, A LOSS IN PERMITTING FEES REVENUE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE PERMITTING, PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT MUST MAINTAIN INSPECTION
[00:10:01]
INTEGRITY AND PARTICIPATE IN STATE RE UH, RULEMAKING TO ENSURE LOCAL CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED.SO THAT'S STILL A PART OF THE, UM, REQUIREMENTS WITH THE FOOD, UM, PERMITTING.
UM, THE OTHER BILLS, THE OTHER, UM, FOOD RELATED BILL THAT HAS SIGNIFICANCE IS S UM, HB 2156, WHICH AGAIN, SIGNIFICANTLY RESTRICTS LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICTS.
UM, DISTRICT'S AUTHORITY TO INDEPENDENTLY REGULATE AND IMPOSE FEES ON FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRIES.
IT CENTRALIZES REGULATORY POWER AT THE STATE LEVEL AND LIMITS LOCAL FEE SETTING DISCRETION, AND PREVENTS, UM, ADDITIONAL LOCAL, UM, PERMITTING FOR CERTIFIED FOOD MANAGERS.
AND THIS BILL WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AS WELL.
UM, HB 26 83 IS ANOTHER MOBILE FOOD VENDOR FREEDOM ACT.
UM, TRANSFERRING SUBSTANTIAL REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER MOBILE FOOD VENDORS FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, AND THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THIS BILL, UH, IT LIMITS AGAIN, LOCAL PERMITTING AND SETS BOUNDARIES ON LOCAL ENFORCEMENT, POTENTIALLY WEAKENING PUBLIC HEALTH OVERSIGHT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL UNDER DRUG USE, UM, EQUIPMENT AND OPIOIDS.
UM, THERE'S, THERE WAS A LOT OF BILLS.
UM, MOST OF THEM THAT I'VE LOOKED OVER DID NOT PASS OR DID NOT HAVE A FINAL ACTION, I'LL SAY, DID NOT, DIDN'T PASS.
THEY, SOME OF THEM DIDN'T HAVE A FINAL ACTION.
UM, SO WE DO SEE SOME OF THOSE BILLS COMING BACK.
UM, HB 40, UH, 1496 REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENT IN, IN PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY, ALIGNING TEXAS, UM, LAW WITH NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES ON OVERSEEING ON, ON OVERDOSE PREVENTION WITH THE ENH ENACTMENT OF THIS BILL.
UM, IT REQUIRE, IT REMOVES LEGAL BARRIERS TO DISTRIBUTE IN, UM, FENTANYL TESTING EQUIPMENT, UM, ENABLING LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ADDRESS OPIOID CRISIS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UM, THIS BILL ALSO EXEMPTS THE USE POSSESSION DELIVERY AND MANUFACTURER OF FENTANYL TESTING EQUIPMENT FROM PROSECUTION UNDER EXISTING TEXAS, UM, PARAPHERNALIA LAW.
THIS, UM, THIS BILL CHA CHANGE SUPPORTS HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND AIMED AT PREVENTING OVERDOSES AND DEATHS RELATED TO FENTANYL.
THERE WERE A COUPLE, UH, OTHER BILLS UNDER THE DRUG USE.
UM, SB 360 2 SB, UM, FIVE 40 AND HB UM, 2 53 WERE ALL IDENTICAL.
AND THESE BILLS AMENDED THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE TO DECRIMINALIZE THE USE, POSSESSION AND DELIVERY, UM, OF DRUG EQUIPMENT, UH, DRUG TESTING EQUIPMENT UNDER DEI.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF SEVEN BILLS THAT WERE TRACKED, UM, HB SEVEN, UM, 27 70 PASS PROHIBITING, UM, TEXAS MUNICIPALITIES FROM USING PUBLIC FUNDS TO SUPPORT OR PROMOTE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
UM, HB 1 67 TITLED THE ENDING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM ACT PASSED AND WILL TAKE EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, THAT BILL BANS, DEI OFFICES AND PROGRAMS AND MOST GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND PROHIBITS THE USE OF RACE, SEX OR SIMILAR CRITERIA IN HIRING, TRAINING, AND PUBLIC, UM, CONTRACTING.
UM, THEN WE HAVE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE MANY MORE
THE OTHER BILL TO LOOK AT, UM, THAT HAD SIGNIFICANT, UM, IMPACT WAS THE HB 4 36, WHICH PROHIBITED GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES FROM REQUIRING DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION STATEMENTS, UM, OR TRAIN OR DEI TRAINING ON AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT OR CONTRACT BINDING CONTRACT BIDDING WITH LIMITED EXPECTATIONS.
UM, THIS BILL TAKES EFFECT, UM, ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AS WELL.
UM, THIS BILL ALSO BARS IMMEDIATE EFFECT, UM, THROUGH SUPER MAJORITY VOTE AND THROUGH A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE.
AND HB, UM, 1521 PROHIBITS MOST FORMS OF DEI INITIATIVES THROUGH TEXAS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, INCLUDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
IT MANDATES THE DISMANTLING OF DEI OFFICES, PROHIBITS DEI RELATED PROGRAMMING OR STAFF, UNLESS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW.
[00:15:01]
ONE OTHER BILL.AND UNDER THE DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION BILL IS HB 32 27 THROUGH ULTIMATELY, UM, THOUGH IT ULTIMATELY FAILED, IT POSED A SUBSTANTIAL THREAT TO LOCAL, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES.
UM, AGENCY'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS STRUCTURAL INEQUALITIES THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED DEI PROGRAMS BY DECRIMINALIZING STANDARD PRACTICES LIKE CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING, COMPETENCY TRAINING, AND EQUITY BASED HIRING BILL.
THIS BILL WOULD HAVE INCREASED THE RISK OF OR WORSENED HEALTH OUTCOMES AND WORKFORCE, UM, HOMOGENEITY, HOMOGENEITY IN DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
UM, IT ALSO REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FISCAL RISK WITH, UM, WITH THE TWO YEAR GRANT DEFUNDING CLAUSE THREATENING LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
MOVING ON WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AROUND THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY AND DISCRIMINATION.
UM, DURING THE 89TH, UM, SESSION, LAWMAKERS INTRODUCED AN MULTIPLE BILLS THAT EITHER RESTRICTED OR RED LINE PROTECTION RELATED TO SEX, GENDER IDENTITY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, SEVERAL BILLS PASSED MEASURES, UM, LIMITED, LIMITED OR ELIMINATED SUPPORT OF L-B-G-T-Q PROGRAMMING, OUTREACH AND WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS.
UM, THE CONSTRAINTS, IT, IT PUTS A CONSTRAINT ON LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS BY ADDRESS, BY ADDRESSING LGBTQ PLUS HEALTH NEEDS.
THIS BILL WEAKENS TRUST BEHIND BETWEEN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITIES, UNDERMINES THE DATA QUALITY AND SERVICE TARGETING, TARGETING DUE TO MANDATED CHANGES IN SEX AND GENDER DEFINITIONS, AND THEN ALSO POSES A RISK TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RI, UM, AND REDUCES CREDIBILITY AND TRUST IN LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES AND SERVICE DELIVERY CONSTRAINTS.
UM, ONE OTHER FACTOR IS, IS, UM, COLLECTING DATA AND REPORTING.
IT ALSO LIMITS AND PUTS A STRAIN ON THE WORKFORCE AND TRAINING AROUND, UM, AND TRAINING AND THEN COMMUNITY TRUST AND ENGAGEMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
THERE WERE MULTIPLE BILLS THAT WERE INTRODUCED, A TOTAL OF EIGHT THAT WERE TRACKED BY THE DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR THE, THAT INTRODUCED BILLS AIMING TO BOLSTER THE STATE'S CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
LEGISLATIVE, UM, EFFORTS EMPHASIZED, UM, DISEASE SURVEILLANCE MODERNIZATION, BIOHAZARD DETECTION, UM, DETECTION SYSTEMS, EMERGENCY RESPONSE CAPACITY, CLARIFICATION AROUND LOCAL VERSUS STATE AUTHORITY AND HEALTH CRISES.
UM, THESE BILL, THESE LEGISLATIVE BILLS PROPOSE PROPOSALS HAVE, UM, FAR REACH AND IMPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES, UM, ESPECIALLY IN OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY FUNDING, UH, FUNDING STREAMS AND READINESS CAPACITY.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACT THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE, ARE CRUCIAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
SOME KEY, UM, BILLS THAT WERE LOOKED AT SPECIFICALLY WAS SB 31, 31 AND SB 1 32, WHICH DID NOT PASS.
UM, BUT THOSE BILLS WOULD HAVE A REFLE WOULD HAVE REFLECTION ON THE CONCERNS, UM, AROUND CO ERA, UM, AIMING TO REBALANCE STATE VERSUS FEDERAL AUTHORITY DURING EMERGENCIES.
AND SB 31 31 STRENGTHENS ENFORCEMENT TO, UH, FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY LAWS AND SB 1 32 LIMITS STATE DISASTER HEALTH DIRECTIVES.
THE PRIMARY POPULATION IMPACTED, OF COURSE, INCLUDED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN DISASTER AFFECTED COMMUNITIES ARE TYPICALLY THOSE THAT ARE LOW INCOME ONE.
UM, ANOTHER BILL, UM, HB EIGHT 20 EXPANDS DISEASE PREVAIL, UM, SURVEILLANCE CAPACITY, UM, REQUIRING ELECTRONIC REPORTING UPGRADES BY LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A BILL HB 25 41 AND SB 1218, WHICH WERE IDENTICAL TO FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE COORDINATION, WHICH CLARIFIES RO UH, ROLES OF THE DSHS AND LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN COORDINATING EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD ONE ON BIO WATCH, WHICH WA WHICH WAS HB, UM, 1776 AND SB NINE 40, WHICH AUTHORIZED FUNDING FOR BIO WATCH, UH, EQUIPMENT UPGRADES AND REQUIRES
[00:20:01]
REGIONAL BIOTERRORISM RESPONSE PLANS.WE HAD, UM, A BILL FOR EPIDEMIOLOGY SURVEILLANCE MODERNIZATION, WHICH WAS HB 3 360 36 62, AND SB 2101, WHICH REQUIRED, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF REAL TIME DISEASE REPORTING SYSTEMS, ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR EPIDEMIOLOGY, HIRING, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
UM, THIS MANDATED, THIS WOULD'VE MANDATED INTEGRATION WITH NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE, UM, PLATFORMS, UM, AND ACCORDANCE WITH CDC.
AND I THINK THAT IS ALL FOR NOW.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I WILL OPEN IT UP TO FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, VIRTUAL, UM, AS WELL AS TO THE COMMISSIONERS HERE.
I THINK WE ALL MIGHT HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT PROCESSING, THAT'S THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVED MIGHT BE THE FIRST PART OF IT.
HEARING NONE, I THINK WE CAN WE PROCESS AND COME BACK WITH MORE QUESTIONS? SURE.
THERE BE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR, UM, MORE INPUT ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND OTHER BILLS NOT PRESENTED.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME A CALL.
THE LAST SLIDE AND YOU ALL GET THE, A COPY OF THIS DECK INCLUDES MY NAME, MY EMAIL ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER, SHOULD YOU NEED TO CONTACT ME WITH ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
[3. Discuss effects of federal funding cuts on Austin Public Health, Texas Health and Human Services, and Central Health.]
OVER TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO DISCUSS EFFECTS OF FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS ON AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND CENTRAL HEALTH.AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE DIRECTOR STIRRUP WHO WILL BE LEADING THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, PERLA, I ALSO SEE YOU'RE JOINING US AS WELL, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE UPDATES FROM CENTRAL HEALTH SPECIFICALLY, UM, BUT THE DIRECTOR STIR, IF YOU'RE READY FOR US, MY, MY, UH, COMPUTER IS THINKING ABOUT STARTING MY VIDEO.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I, I DON'T HAVE PREPARED SLIDES, UM, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT, UM, IT HAS BEEN, UH, AN EVOLVING SITUATION.
UM, IN, IN FAIRNESS, I, I CAN'T TALK ABOUT CUTS, BUT WHAT I CAN FOCUS ON IS INSTABILITY.
AND SO FROM ABOUT MAY UNTIL, AND IT PERSISTS UNTIL NOW, WE HAVE BEEN IN A STATE OF FLEX WITH FEDERAL GRANTS THAT SUPPORT CORE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.
AND BY CORE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, I MEAN, THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE MANDATED TO DO BY THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE.
UM, THERE ARE SERVICES THAT NO ONE ELSE IN COMMUNITY PROVIDES.
UM, AND, UH, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ALIGN WITH, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND SO WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IS IMMUNIZATIONS FOR THE ADULT SAFETY NET POPULATION, UM, SUPPORT FOR OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT FOR VACCINE FOR CHILDREN PROVIDERS, UM, DISEASE INTERVENTION, UH, FOLLOW UP FOR FOLKS THAT, UH, HAVE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, UM, INCLUDING HIV AND STI AND TUBERCULOSIS, UH, THE REFUGEE CLINIC, UM, WHICH PROVIDES, UM, NOT ONLY CLINICAL SERVICES, BUT UH, CONNECTIONS TO SOCIAL WORK AND OTHER SUPPORTS FOR PERSONS, UH, SEEKING, UH, ASYLUM IN THIS COUNTRY, AS WELL AS, UM, OTHER TYPES OF, UH, NEW ARRIVALS, UM, HIV SERVICES, UM, THAT INCLUDE, AGAIN, THAT INTENSIVE FOLLOW UP THAT HAPPENS.
WE DO HAVE A PLETHORA OF TESTING SERVICES IN COMMUNITY, BUT THE CLINIC AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH PROVIDES IMMEDIATE FOLLOW UP WITH PARTNERS, UM, AND PROVIDES IMMEDIATE, UM, SOCIAL WORK AND CASE MANAGEMENT AND, AND RESOURCES AS WELL AS, UM, IF NEEDED.
WE, WE DO, UH, IMMEDIATE PREP AND SUPPORT FOLKS UNTIL THEY CAN GET INTO CARE.
UM, THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE AT RISK ARE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY,
[00:25:01]
UM, RESPONSE PROGRAM.AND SO THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE US SUPPORTING TRAVIS COUNTY WITH, UM, IN TERMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS, AND, AND THOSE WOULD BE YOUR FIRST RESPONDERS, SHOULD THERE BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY LIKE COVID.
UM, RELATED TO THAT IS OUR BIO WATCH PROGRAM, AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WHO GET UP EVERY MORNING BEFORE THE CRACK OF DAWN AND CHECK THESE LITTLE MACHINES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR AIR THAT'S GONNA TURN US INTO MUTANTS.
UM, SO THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY NO ONE ELSE DOES IN ORDER TO PROTECT POPULATION HEALTH.
UM, AND SO I I, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD STOPS AND STARTS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME REDUCTIONS, UH, TO, TO SERVICES, BUT THERE'S, I'M STUTTERING BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO CLEAR INFORMATION I CAN GIVE YOU, LIKE, WE'VE LOST X DOLLARS BECAUSE THINGS ARE STILL IN FLUX, UM, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO, TO FIGURE THEMSELVES OUT.
AND SO THE MESSAGE THAT I HAVE BEEN GIVING WHEN ASKED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO, UM, LIMIT THE INSTABILITY FOR THESE THINGS THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY COUNTS ON US TO DO, AND THAT NO ONE ELSE IS POSITIONED TO DO.
UM, AND THAT IS TO IDENTIFY UPWARDS OF $9.2 MILLION IN, UM, GENERAL FUND, OR THROUGH THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE TAX RATE ELECTION TO SHORE UP THOSE CORE SERVICES AND REDUCE THE, UM, INSTABILITY AND, UH, PROTECT THE STAFF THAT ARE DOING THAT WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR THE BIO WATCH PROGRAM, WE, WE'VE HEARD RUMORS THAT THE CONTRACTS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE AND THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE RELEASED, BUT WITHOUT ANYTHING IN HAND, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT I HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOUR JOB IS ENDING AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, THESE, THE STOPS AND STARTS HAVE BEEN WHAT HAVE HURT US THE MOST, AND WHAT, IN ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS FOR HIV, UM, PREVENTION AND SURVEILLANCE, WE MANAGED TO FIND STAFF POSITIONS FOR ALL OF THE, THE, UH, PERSONS WHO ARE ON THAT GRANT.
AND THEN AT THE 11TH HOUR, THEY'RE LIKE, PSYCH, WE'RE GIVING YOU THE MONEY BACK.
WELL, YOU KNOW, NOW I DON'T HAVE ANY PEOPLE, AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO PROVIDE THAT MUCH NEEDED SERVICE ON A SIX MONTH, UH, AWARD THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE EXTENDED AFTER THAT TIME.
SO I, I, I KNOW I, I SAID A LOT AND, UM, HOPEFULLY JUANITA IS PULLING UP SOME SLIDES FOR ME, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE NUMBERS OF THE VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE COURSE OF THE TIME THAT SHE CAN SHARE WITH THE NICE PERSON AT THE AB STATION.
AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE THINGS IN FRONT OF YOU.
BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S, YEAH, IT'S ALL I GOT.
WELL, WE, UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR STIRRUP, AND WHILE WE GIVE JUANITA A MOMENT TO POTENTIALLY FIND SOME WONDERFUL SLIDES FOR US TO EXPERIENCE, UM, I HAVE TWO LIGHT QUESTIONS THAT I THINK MAYBE YOU MIGHT HAVE AN ANSWER TO.
UM, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THIS, THIS FLUCTUATION AND THE INSTABILITY, UH, AND, AND LOOKING AT THE MANDATED PROGRAMS AND SERVICES INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED.
IS THERE ANY WAY, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A TWO PART QUESTION, THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE THOSE IMPACTS TO HELP US SAY AND TELL A DIFFERENT STORY OF, OR BETTER, BETTER STORY OF, OF THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE, UH, START AND STOP EXPERIENCE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION TO THAT IS, HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE ABOUT THE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS A EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN DEVELOPED FOR COVID, RIGHT? THERE WERE THINGS PUT IN PLACE SO THAT IF GOD FORBID, WE HAVE, HAVE, HAVE IT AGAIN, WE WILL NOW KNOW HOW TO ACTIVATE AND DO X, Y, Z.
IS THAT ALSO MAYBE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PUT INTO THIS PIPELINE OF WE MIGHT, AS A CITY COUNTY, BE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY WITH THE LACK OF RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, AND HERE'S HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY RESPOND.
SO QUESTION ONE IS, IS THERE A WAY TO CAPTURE THIS DATA OF THE IMPACTS OF THIS INSTABILITY AND, AND FLUCTUATION OF SERVICES AND SUPPORT EVEN TO OUR OWN TEAM? AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT IS MAYBE GETTING PREPARED, UH, IN THE EVENT THAT WE ARE IN OUR OWN CRISIS AS A CITY AND COUNTY?
[00:30:03]
I LOVE YOUR DEFINITION OF LIGHT, UM,SO I'LL START OUT BY SAYING, UM, WE DID CREATE A STORY MAP, AND I'M GONNA CALL ON JUANITA AGAIN TO SHARE THE LINK, UM, WITH YOU ALL.
IT, IT WAS RELEASED RECENTLY AND THERE WAS SOME PRESS AROUND IT.
WE, WE WANTED TO REALLY HUMANIZE THE IMPACTS OF THE INSTABILITY AND GIVE A BIGGER PICTURE OF, UM, THE STORY, UM, BEHIND EVERYTHING THAT IS IMPACTED WHEN YOU HAVE A, A WEAK OR FAILING PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS AVAILABLE, WE PLAN TO UPDATE THAT AS WE GET MORE CONCRETE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT OUR TWO, UM, FINANCIAL, UM, OR OUR TWO FEDERAL FUNDING LEVELS WILL BE.
UM, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE, WE'RE LOSING, WE'RE LOSING GOOD PEOPLE EITHER DIRECTLY BECAUSE THEIR, THEIR GRANTS HAVE, UM, ENDED ABRUPTLY OR ARE UNCERTAIN.
UM, AND EITHER THEY'VE BEEN SEPARATED INTO OTHER JOBS WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THANKFULLY, OUT OF THE, UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE CORRECT NUMBER, THERE'VE BEEN 47 IMPACTED STAFF, UM, SINCE WE'VE STARTED THIS JOURNEY.
UM, ALL BUT FOUR OF THOSE WERE PLACED IN OTHER, UH, POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SOME OF THEM IN THE DEPARTMENT, UM, NO, I'M SORRY, I SAID THAT WRONG.
FOUR WERE VOLUNTARY SEPARATIONS.
THEY'RE LIKE, I'M OFF THIS, I'M GOING TO RETIRE GOING TO THE HOUSE.
UM, THE OTHERS WERE PLACED IN OTHER POSITIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT YOU LOSE CAPACITY AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
SO WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO PRESERVE JOBS, AND I'M, I'M ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, COMMISSIONER CROOKHAM IN THE DAYTIME, YOU KNOW, HE IS THE IMMUNIZATIONS PROGRAM MANAGER, AND HE LOST THE WHOLE MOBILE, UM, VACCINE PROGRAM OR A VERY LARGE SHARE OF IT.
SO THINK ABOUT, UH, PEOPLE BEING THAT JDS OR OTHER PLACES LIKE WE, WE WERE DURING THE PANDEMIC, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN WITHOUT SOME REROUTING OF OTHER GENERAL FUND, UM, RESOURCES, WHICH OF COURSE WE WOULD DO DURING AN EMERGENCY.
BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WHO KNOW HOW TO GIVE VACCINATIONS IN THE FIELD, WHO ARE FLEXIBLE AND CAN STICK YOU IF YOU'RE EIGHT OR 80, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTINUED CAPACITY.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S THAT LEVEL OF IMPACT THAT WE'RE HAVING AND THEN BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN PEOPLE TO WORK AT PUBLIC HEALTH.
LIKE THERE IS A, THERE, IF I MAY SPEAK FOR MY DEPARTMENT, THERE IS A PANIC IF YOU ARE IN A GRANT FUNDED POSITION AND YOU ARE TRYING TO DESPERATELY GET YOUR WAY INTO A GENERAL FUND, AND IF NOT, YOU TRYING TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE WITHIN THE CITY.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THAT KIND OF THING THAT WE'RE LOSING.
WE'RE GONNA LOSE TALENT, WE'RE GONNA LOSE KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE EXPERTISE.
AND SO WHILE WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN PLANS, UM, SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN, I CAN'T EVEN PRONOUNCE THE, THE NEWEST THING THAT WE'RE WATCHING AT THE CDC, CHRIS CAN HELP MEA, DID I SAY IT RIGHT,
BOX CAN CORRECT ME, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE VIRUSES THAT ARE, ARE INTENSELY SCARY AND EVERYONE'S ON ALERT, AND THERE'S TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS TO THOSE PARTS OF THE WORLD, UM, WHERE IT'S PRESENT.
I MEAN, IF, IF IT HITS HOME, WE, WE HAVE SOME WRITTEN PLANS, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE US A MINUTE TO RECRUIT PEOPLE AND TO PROVIDE JUST IN TIME TRAINING SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND IN THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO.
SO WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE SECURE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU LOSE DAYS, YOU LOSE MINUTES, YOU LOSE HOURS IN HOW WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND.
DID I ANSWER ALL THE POINTS OF YOUR QUESTION? YOU DID.
I'LL OPEN UP AS, ARE YOU READY, JUANITA? OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, AND IDEAS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER COOKEN, PLEASE.
UH, FIRST OFF, WELL SAID, DIRECTOR.
I COULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT BETTER MYSELF.
UM, LAST TIME WE MET, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE TRE, AND NOW I KNOW THAT A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON THAT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A VEHICLE TO PERHAPS GENERATE SOME MONEY, BUT NOT EVERYTHING WE WOULD LIKE.
IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE TRE KIND OF THE BEST AVENUE THAT WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT? OR IS THAT, IS IT ONE OF MANY OPTIONS? AND THAT'S JUST ONE THAT WE'RE EXPLORING AT THE MOMENT?
[00:35:01]
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.CONSIDERING THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING AS AN ORGANIZATION ON AM THE CITY AS A WHOLE WITH THE $33 MILLION DEFICIT AND, UM, LOTS OF COMPETING DEMANDS AND NEEDS, UM, A TAX RATE ELECTION IS OUR BEST HOPE AT SHORING UP SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE AND, UH, FUNDING THAT THE CITY GIVES OUT THAT SUPPORTS THOSE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN SUPPORTING GOOD POPULATION HEALTH OUTCOMES.
UM, WITHOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS A, A PLAN TO RIGHT SIZE WITHIN THE RESTRICTIONS OF WHETHER WHATEVER FUNDING, UM, WE RECEIVE OR WE HAVE ACCESS TO.
BUT THAT WILL MEAN, YOU KNOW, BEING HONEST AND TRANSPARENT WITH COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.
AND TO LEVEL SET EXPECTATIONS, UH, SHOULD THERE BE A NEED FOR AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE OR EVEN JUST SOME OF OUR, OUR REGULAR WORK, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE LOST OUR HIV OUTREACH FUNDING, AND THAT WAS OUR MOV TEAM THAT WENT TO PLACES LIKE ROCKY AND MAYNARD TO PROVIDE, UM, HIV AND STI TESTING TO FOLKS WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING IN THE CLINIC.
THAT FUNDING IS GONE AND THOSE SERVICES ARE NO LONGER IN PLAY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL AND, UM, APPRECIATIVE OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE SPACE THAT PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
UM, SO THERE ISN'T A LACK, BUT THERE IS, THERE IS A GAP.
AND AGAIN, THOSE CLINICS ARE NOT WELL POSITIONED TO DO THE, UM, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND THE ABILITY TO DO THE FOLLOW UP WITH PARTNERS, UM, IN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO, TO NOT ONLY TAKE CARE OF THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT SHOWED UP AT THE VAN, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, DOING OUR DI DUE DILIGENCE TO KEEP THE POPULATION SAFE.
SO, I MEAN, WE'RE, AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I GUESS WE JUST NEED TO DECIDE HOW DIRECTOR DISTURB, THE LAST PRESENTATION I'M GONNA SHARE IS THE ONE WE PRESENTED TO TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
THE LAST SLIDES AROUND THE FUNDING, IS THAT ONE A GOOD ONE FOR YOU TO SHARE INFORMATION? THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
GIVE US A SECOND TO TRANSFER IT OVER
AND IF YOU, IF YOU COULD EMAIL THAT TO ME AS WELL, SO I CAN LIKE, SEE WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING.
LIKE I CAN KIND OF SEE THE SCREEN, BUT NOT REALLY.
AND I BELIEVE THESE TWO SLIDES LIST OUT WHAT WE BELIEVE TO STILL BE AT RISK BASED ON THE INFORMATION GLEANED FROM THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK THOSE, THOSE WERE THE LAST ONES WE HAD FROM BEFORE THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS WERE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED OR MOVED FORWARD IN, IN LEGISLATION.
WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR MS. JACKSON TO PUT UP THE SLIDES, THE OTHER THING I CAN SAY IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IS THAT WITH, UM, RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS REGARDING THE PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS, UM, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, NOT ONLY HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT UH, NATIONALLY DO I'M HEARING MYSELF, IS THAT ME
AND SO IT'LL BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO USE FEDERAL FUNDING TO PROVIDE FOCUSED OUTREACH, UM, FOR, FOR POPULATIONS WE KNOW ARE AT HIGHER RISK.
AM I, DO I HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLICK THROUGH THESE SCREENS, OR WE'RE GOING TO SLIDE 17.
[00:40:04]
THERE WE GO IN ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.THE, THE RELEVANCE OF THIS SITUATION, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS PIE CHART, IS THAT ABOUT HALF OF A PH STAFF ARE FUNDED BY GRANT.
SO WHILE GRANTS ONLY MAKE UP 30% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET, THE THE STAFFING IS DISPROPORTIONATE TO THAT MODEL.
SO ANY CHANGE TO OUR, UH, FEDERAL OR GRANT FUNDING LEVELS IS GOING TO HAVE A DIRECT CORRELATION TO OUR STAFFING LEVELS.
AND SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW HAVE BEEN LOST.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST THREE, I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE IT A PASS, BECAUSE WE KNEW THOSE GRANTS HAD AN END DATE.
UM, WHAT WAS DISRUPTIVE IS THAT, UM, THEY WERE ENDED EARLY AND, UM, WITHOUT WARNING.
AND SO THAT LEFT A LARGE NUMBER OF STAFF IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION LOOKING FOR, UM, EMPLOYMENT.
IT ALSO MEANT THAT IT, UM, KIND OF HASTENED OUR STEP DOWN PLAN.
UM, AND WE HAD TO CANCEL A LOT OF EVENTS AT THE LAST MINUTE THAT WE HAD PLANNED FOR IMMUNIZATION.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS THAT OUTREACH TEAM THAT I SPOKE ABOUT THAT DID A LOT OF THE MOBILE VACCINATIONS.
THE SECOND ONE WAS A COMBINATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATORS THAT WORKED IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAD LOW VACCINE, UM, UPTAKE TO CONTINUE TO, UM, ENCOURAGE, UM, NOT ONLY COVID, BUT ALL VACCINATIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THINK MEASLES OX, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO USE THESE SAME TEAMS TO SUPPORT.
AND THEN, UH, I BELIEVE THE THIRD ONE SPEAKS TO, AND I'M SURE, UH, COMMISSIONER CROOKHAM WILL CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, A VARIETY OF SERVICES THAT INCLUDE OUR DIS SUPPORT.
SO THOSE DISEASE DETECTIVES THAT FOLLOW UP WITH CASES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTROLLING AND TREATING AS NECESSARY.
UM, ANOTHER ABRUPT END WAS OUR TOBACCO CONTROL, UM, GRANT, AND THAT WAS OUR BREATHE WITH PRIDE PROGRAM, UM, USING SOME REALLY INNOVATIVE WAYS AND FOCUSED STRATEGIES, UM, TO PROMOTE, UH, TO SUPPORT TOBACCO CESSATION SPECIFICALLY IN THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE DATA SHOWS THAT WHERE THE INTERVENTIONS WERE NEEDED AND THAT THAT CONTRACT WAS ABRUPTLY ENDED AFFECTING, UM, A NUMBER OF STAFF.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO, AS WE LOOK AT THE, UM, FEDERAL BUDGET OR THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET, THESE ARE ALL OF THE GRANTS THAT ARE AT RISK.
UM, SO THE FIRST TWO SPECIFICALLY DEAL WITH, UM, HIV, UM, AND GETTING PEOPLE INTO CARE AND PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SO THAT THEY, UH, RETAIN AND CARE.
UM, THESE, THE FIRST TWO LINES, HOPEFULLY THOSE ARE GRANTS THAT WE GIVE OUT TO COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION IS ONE, UM, I WANNA SAY THERE'S A SMALL GRANT TO KIND CLINIC TO DAVID POWELL.
SO THAT'S MONEY THAT WE GET AS A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE PUSH OUT TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS, WHERE THOSE ARE JUST EXTRA FOLKS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK THEY'RE DEPLOYED, HELPING TRAVIS COUNTY WITH THEIR RESPONSE, UM, WORKING AT THE RESOURCE CENTER TO PROVIDE, UM, SUPPORT TO THOSE FAMILIES, WHOLE AIR MONITORING OR BIO WATCH.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO GET UP AT THE CRACK OF DAWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, BEING EXPOSED TO ANY, UM, CONTAMINANTS.
UM, AND SO ALL OF THESE THINGS, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND I CAN GO DOWN THE LIST AND, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE SOME BACKUP DOCUMENTATION IF YOU WANNA SEE WHAT, UH, SERVICES THEY PROVIDE, BUT A LOT OF IT IS ON THOSE CORE THINGS THAT WE DO AS A HEALTH PRO, UH, DEPARTMENT RELATED TO COMMUNICABLE DISEASE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE SCARY THING.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THE DISEASE DETECTIVES AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THAT ON THE SPOT DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, UM, THERE'S GOING TO BE A BURDEN ON OUR OTHER SYSTEMS TO
[00:45:01]
STEP IN AND PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT.I THINK WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND I CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS PART OF THE LATE BACKUP SO THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE THAT AT THEIR READY.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING THAT IN ADVANCE.
DIRECTOR STEWART, WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO SEE THE STORY MAP? UH, WE CAN JUST SEND THAT LINK.
IT'S, IT'S NOT MY CREATED WORKS.
I WOULD HATE TO BUTCHER IT WHILE AND WALK THROUGH IT, BUT, UM, IF FOLKS CAN HAVE THE LINK AND LOOK AT IT AT THEIR LEISURE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER WALLACE, PLEASE.
I HERE WOULD BE LIST OF FINAL, THE FINANCIAL BUDGET LOSS FOR A PH COMPARED TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THE AMOUNT REALLOCATED BY COUNCIL TO A PH COMPARED TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT IN LIGHT OF THIS CURRENT SITUATION WITH FEDERAL GRANTS? YES.
I CAN SAY THAT, UM, WE ARE THE MOST GRANT DEPENDENT, AND WHEN THIS FIRST BECAME AN ISSUE IN EARLY SPRING AND THE CITY MANAGER, UM, PUT OUT A MEMORANDUM ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STAFF POSITIONS THAT WERE AT RISK, UM, IT WAS ABOUT 300 AND SOMETHING, 287 OF THOSE WERE AWESOME PUBLIC HEALTH EMPLOYEES.
SO IN TERMS OF THE, THE WIDE, THE DEPENDENCE ON FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FTES IS HEAVILY IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
YEAH, I I, I WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE TO KNOW THAT.
SO AS WE FORMULATE RESPONSES OR ADVOCACY AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND SO FORTH, THAT'S TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
SO WE, WE DON'T GET A BLAST BACK OF, WELL, WE ALREADY DID THIS, OR WE DID THAT, OR, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GAVE THE SAME AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, OF, OF REALLOCATION THAT WE DID WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
I WILL SAY, UM, THAT OF OTHER GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS THAT HAD TO ABSORB A, A 5%, UH, REDUCTION FOR THE FISCAL 26 BUDGET, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DID NOT HAVE TO, UM, REALIZE THOSE CUTS IN LIGHT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING SITUATION.
SO THERE, THERE HAS BEEN SOME SUPPORT, UM, FROM THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, AND NOT HOLDING US TO THAT STANDARD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR, UM, WITH A LOT OF COMPETING NEEDS.
UH, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, I AM APPRECIATIVE OF NOT HAVING TO, TO CUT THAT 5% UNDERST.
UM, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE GONE ON OVER WITH CENTRAL HEALTH? I KNOW LAST YEAR THEY REALLOCATED 7 MILLION IN INTEGRAL CARE.
THIS YEAR THEY'RE LOOKING AT, I THINK, UH, ABOUT A MILLION OR SO TO, TO, TO ONE NON-PROFIT, UM, THAT ALSO HAD, UH, SOME FUNDING CUTS AND, AND AND WHATNOT.
SO HAS THERE BEEN A CONVERSATION WITH THEM OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE OR SUPPORT KNOWING THAT THEY'LL BE FINALIZING THEIR BUDGET NEXT MONTH? AND SO, UM, I, I HAVE NOT IN FULL TRANSPARENCY APPROACH MY PARTNERS AT CENTRAL HEALTH FOR FUNDS, BUT WHAT I HAVE TALKED, UM, AT LENGTH, AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE ORGANIZATION ABOUT, IS ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT WE WILL FIND OURSELVES IN AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE, AS I SAID, IF THERE'S A WEAK PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CREATES STRAIN ON OUR FQHCS, OUR HOSPITAL DISTRICT, UM, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF THERE CENTRAL HEALTH HAD A DIFFERENT ROLE ROLE WITH REFUGEE MEDICAL SERVICES, WHICH WOULD BE HUGE.
UM, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF, UM, CENTRAL HEALTH HAD A DIFFERENT ROLE, UM, IN THE TV SPACE.
UM, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE CANNOT, AT LEAST IN ONE BUDGET CYCLE REPLACE FEDERAL DOLLARS WITH LOCAL MONEY.
AND SO IN, FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS WITH CENTRAL HEALTH ARE KIND OF LIKE MORE OF WHAT WE DID WITH COVID.
HOW DO WE BAND TOGETHER
[00:50:01]
HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER LOCALLY TO MINIMIZE THE GAPS? UM, YOU KNOW, AND MY PARTNERS AT, AT CENTRAL HEALTH HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THERE FOR IT.THEY ARE FACING SOME SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, WHICH I'M SURE, UM, PROBABLY WILL GO THROUGH WITH CHANGES TO MEDICAID AND MEDICARE, WHICH MAKE ME CONCERNED FOR OUR MAP, UM, CLIENTS.
SO IT'S, AT THIS POINT, IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT HOW DO WE LEVERAGE RESOURCES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AT PLAY TO CREATE A STRONGER SYSTEM, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR RESIDENTS.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE AGAIN, UH, SOMEBODY'S GONNA SEE THESE PEOPLE, WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH, UH, FOR DIRECTOR STIRRUP ON THIS TOPIC? OKAY.
UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR STIRRUP FOR THE UPDATE FOR THE INFORMATION THAT COULD BE PROVIDED.
AND, UH, I'M SURE THAT IN THE MEANTIME, IN BETWEEN TIME, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT AND COME UP WITH HOPEFUL SOLUTIONS AS A COMMISSION AND PARTNERS.
[4. Receive updates from commissioners on assigned action items.]
UH, MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR.UH, RECEIVE UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONERS ON ASSIGNED ACTION ITEMS. UH, I KNOW THAT DANNY HAS MET WITH EVERYONE AND WE DO HAVE SOME UPDATES.
IS THERE AN ORDER THAT WE NEED TO GO IN OR JUST LET FOLKS RUN THROUGH? BEAUTIFUL.
UH, WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO JUMP IN FIRST, PLEASE GO AHEAD WITH YOUR UPDATES.
UM, WE MET ABOUT OUR ACTION ITEM, UM, JUST TO KIND OF DISCUSS LIKE THE CURRENT SITUATION AND LANDSCAPE OF THAT ACTION ITEM.
UM, WE THEN JUST TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, JUST THE BACKGROUND AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH UT HEALTH.
AND THEN OUR NEXT STEP IS TO LINK BACK UP WITH YOU AND SEE WHAT YOU LEFT OFF.
SO IT'S NOT A BIG LEAP, BUT WE DID GET THE BALL ROLLING AGAIN.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AT WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL LINK UP WITH YOU AFTER THIS.
UM, REAL QUICK, BEFORE, UM, PROVIDING THE UPDATE, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE WHAT EXACTLY? YEAH, SO THIS WAS ABOUT, UH, FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS AND OTHER PREVENTATIVE, UH, INTERVENTIONS FOR OVERDOSE WITH, UH, I WANNA SAY UT HEALTH, UT AUSTIN, UM, STUDENTS CAMPUS, ET CETERA.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A CONTACT OF SOME KIND THAT YOU HAD.
SO WE'RE GONNA PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF, BUT THAT IS THE PLAN AND THAT'S THE BALL WE STARTED ROLLING AGAIN.
COMMISSIONER CROOK, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, FOR THE COMMISSIONER.
UM, ANY UPDATES ON THE HEAT RELATED ONE? UH, CURIOUS WHAT THE STATUS IS ON THAT? IS THIS ONE FOR ME? YES.
SO I SENT IT OUT FOR A RECOMMENDATION.
SO LAST TIME WHEN WE MET, I GOT TWO DIFFERENT PIECES OF FEEDBACK, BOTH ON THE HEAT RELATED ILLNESS RECOMMENDATION AND THE OPERATIVE RECOMMENDATION.
ONE IS THAT IT WAS TOO SPECIFIC.
SO I SENT OUT A GENERAL ONE, A SPECIFIC ONE OF EACH TO ANNA AND, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO ELSE I SENT TO, UH, PR AND, UH, HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
I THINK I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE GUIDANCE ON THE STEPS IN WHICH ONE IS THE BETTER OPTION BECAUSE I'VE BEEN GETTING KIND OF CONTRADICTORY FEEDBACK ON THE TWO.
SO I FOLLOWED UP ONCE AGAIN, STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE, BUT, UM, ONCE I DO, I'D LIKE TO FILL EVERYONE IN SO WE CAN KEEP MOMENTUM GOING THERE.
I'M INTERESTED IN THAT ONE AS WELL.
SO IF YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM ME, LET ME KNOW.
UH, IN TERMS OF MY UPDATES, UM, I'VE, I'M STILL INTERESTED IN THE CAPTAIN STITCH, UH, IDEA THAT I BROUGHT UP LAST TIME IN TERMS OF USING SOME OF THE TAX REVENUE FROM THAT TO ADDRESS, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I'VE STARTED TO USING THE DOCUMENT THAT DANNY SENT OUT TO US, TRY STARTING TO FORMULATE A, A GOAL.
AND IN DOING SO, I REALIZED, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH.
FIRST I NEED TO TALK SOME INDIVIDUALS BEFORE I ACTUALLY PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER.
SO I HAVE STARTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH, REALIZED THAT THE CAPTAIN STITCH PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN HAPPEN AND, YOU KNOW, BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN READY FOR THEM TO USE UNTIL 20 31, 20 32.
SO THAT'S STILL QUITE A WAYS OUT AND, BUT THAT GIVES US TIME TO FORMULATE A PLAN AND PUT THINGS TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, TEST IT OUT.
UH, ONE THING I'M TOYING WITH, JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE IS A 19.28, 19 POINT 28% BECAUSE THE 1928 PLAN.
UH, BUT I DO PLAN ON LOOKING AT PLANS, YOU KNOW, I GOT IMAGINE AUSTIN, THE GOALS, VISIONS OF VARIOUS PLANS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, JUST TO SEE HOW ALL THIS CAN ALIGN TOGETHER.
[00:55:01]
SO, UH, JUST WORKING ON THAT FOR NOW.COMMISSIONER K*M, IS THERE, UM, ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO SUPPORT WITH THE RESEARCH OR, UH, COLLABORATIONS AMONGST CONNECTIONS WE MIGHT HAVE WITH OTHER OUTSIDE ENTITIES, UM, THAT ARE PART OF THE COMMISSION? THAT AREN'T A PART OF THE COMMISSION? YEAH, I DIDN'T MENTION THAT, BUT I WOULD, I AM INTERESTED IN MEETING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY GROUPS THAT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR USING SOME OF THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS ISSUES.
SO, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONTACTS OR IDEAS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY.
UM, OTHERWISE, UH, RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S FRESH, YOU KNOW, I PLAN ON JUST STAYING ON TOP OF THE NEWS AND WHAT OCCURS AT CITY HALL TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAINTAIN THIS AND ALIGN THIS.
[5. Discuss and outline agenda topics for the remainder of 2025 scheduled meetings.]
MOVING ON TO OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE TO DISCUSS AND OUTLINE AGENDA TOPICS FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2025 SCHEDULED MEETINGS.UH, WE DO HAVE A FEW ITEMS THAT WILL BE GOING TO SEPTEMBER ALREADY.
UH, SOME OF THAT DOES INCLUDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMISSIONER DOLSEN, UH, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PRESENTATION, UNDERSTANDING THEY ARE RESPONDING TO OUR, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE, WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE MOVED TO SEPTEMBER, UH, AS WELL AS THE CAP AND STITCH PROGRAM AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO THAT WILL BE ON OUR SEPTEMBER, UM, AGENDA.
UH, I WOULD, I KNOW PERLA HAD TO JUMP OFF, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT MAYBE SHE CAN ALSO GIVE US, UH, AN UPDATE FROM CENTRAL HEALTH AS DIRECTOR STIR WAS ABLE TO GIVE US TODAY.
UH, ACTUALLY THEY SENT ME A MESSAGE AND LET, TO LET, TO ASK ME TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT PLR HAD TO LEAVE, BUT THEY WOULD SEND A WRITTEN UPDATE.
UM, SO WE'LL GET THAT WRITTEN UPDATE AND THEN, UH, I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE WERE, WE WERE HOPEFUL TO HAVE COMING UP.
UM, DANNY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES FROM FOLKS WHO WE'VE REACHED OUT TO ABOUT POTENTIAL PRESENTATIONS AND IF WE, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMISSION TODAY IS IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIVE, WHAT COULD WE, UM, I WON'T SAY DO INSTEAD OF IN LIEU OF, BUT WHAT COULD WE ALSO, UM, APPROPRIATELY ALLOCATE TO OUR AGENDA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR? UH, IF WE HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO GET TO US, SO WE HAVE NO UPDATES.
THEN I WOULD SAY WE HAVE A OPEN, UH, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER AND IF WE SO CHOOSE TO DO DECEMBER, 'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR IF WE HAVE THAT DATE AVAILABLE.
SO ACTUALLY I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM, UM, WE DO HAVE DECEMBER ALREADY AND I BOOKED IT AND IT'S THE ONE THAT LEMME SEE, DA DA DA.
SO IT IS GONNA BE FOR DECEMBER 10TH, NOT THE THIRD, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING.
UM, SO WE CHOSE TO MOVE IT TO THE 10TH, UM, HERE AT 2:30 PM AWESOME.
ANY PRESSING TOPICS THAT WE, I KNOW THAT WE'VE COVERED QUITE A FEW THINGS OVER THIS YEAR.
UM, ARE THERE ACTIVE ITEMS THAT WE SHOULD BE PUTTING ON OUR COMMISSION? THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP IN YOUR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS? UH, I KNOW THAT AS OUR PROJECTS GET ACTIVATED, UH, WE WILL HAVE MORE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THOSE.
UM, AND HOW, AND OF COURSE, UM, WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH LOOKS LIKE IN OUR CITY.
UH, AND IF, AND I'LL JUST OPEN THIS UP BRIEFLY FOR EVERYONE TO ADD IN, ADD IN INFORMATION.
I'LL SAY WITH THE TOPIC OF HIV FUNDING CUTS, IT'S DEFINITELY A DISCUSSION WE SHOULD HAVE, UM, IN THE FUTURE TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S ALSO A TOPIC THAT I CAN TAKE ON AND WORK WITH YOU, NATALIE, ON WHAT EXACTLY IS WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION TO RECOMMEND.
SO THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING I CAN TAKE ON.
I DID SEE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING THAT IS GETTING CUT IS LIKE'S QUITE A FEW LINE ITEMS. YEAH.
[01:00:01]
AND I AM CURIOUS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS, THIS IS GONNA BE OUR ITEM SIX SO I WON'T JUMP TOO FAR AHEAD, BUT, UM, WAYS TO ACTIVATE, I THINK WOULD BE THE BEST WORD, UH, THE COMMUNITY IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THESE BUDGET CUTS IN THIS RESPONSE.I'M SURE THAT THE CITY, COUNTY, AND CENTRAL HEALTH ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ACTIVATED AND EDUCATED.
UH, BUT I DO THINK THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALSO START TO UNWRAP AND UNRAVEL OF HOW DO WE DO SOME SORT OF EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN OR SOME SORT OF AWARENESS PROCESS.
I KNOW WE'VE MENTIONED THAT MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR TIME ON THIS COMMISSION OF AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS OR EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS.
UM, JUST SOMETHING TO, AGAIN, KEEP IN YOUR MINDS AS WE ARE GETTING THESE MONTHLY UPDATES, UH, OF HOW PUBLIC HEALTH IS BEING AFFECTED IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT MAYBE WAYS THAT WE CAN START TO IDEATE AND TRULY PROCESS.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THE MONETARY PROCESS IS GONNA BE HEFTY, UH, BUT WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ACTIVATE IN OTHER WAYS? ANY OTHER TOPICS TO JUMP INTO? PLEASE? COMMISSIONER COOK.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE BACK THE A PH IMMUNIZATIONS UNIT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE PRESENTATION ON WHAT THEY PROVIDED LAST TIME.
UH, THEY'VE ACTUALLY DONE A LOT OF NEAT THINGS, I THINK, AND HAVE EMPLOYED A INNOVATIVE PILOT PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF IDENT IDENTIFYING A PROBLEM, ADVOCATING FOR IT, AND THEN ADDRESSING IT, UH, TO EVERYBODY'S HAPPINESS.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT DANNY, I THINK YOU KNOW WHO TO REACH OUT TO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT FOR OCTOBER? LET'S, UM, LET'S SEE IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR OCTOBER.
I THINK THAT GIVES THEM ENOUGH TIME.
AND I, I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE QUITE A BIT, UH, ON OUR SEPTEMBER BLOCK ALREADY, SO NOT TO OVERWHELM US OR DO TOO MUCH, UM, I KNOW WE DID OUR COLD WEATHER REPORT.
DID WE EVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNPACK THAT OR GET THAT REPORT PROVIDED? NO, I BELIEVE IT WAS SHARED AND IT WAS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE ARE HAVING THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COME AND SPEAK TO US.
UH, JUST THINKING ABOUT GETTING COLD AGAIN, UM, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING A LOOK AT.
[6. Discuss and approve the 2026 annual meeting schedule.]
ON TO ITEM SIX, UH, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS AND APPROVE THE 2026 ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULE.UM, JUST REVIEW IT IF THERE ARE ANY
UM, I WANTED TO BE Y'ALL'S DECISION IF IT WAS GONNA BE SKIPPED AGAIN.
UM, SAME THING FOR THE DECEMBER MEETING.
I KEPT IT AS A FIRST WEDNESDAY, BUT AGAIN, IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS IF YOU WANNA SWITCH THAT AROUND.
I AM CURIOUS AS THE COMMISSION, UM, I THINK WE MOVED OUR RETREAT TO THIS FROM THIS PAST, LIKE THIS CURRENT RETREAT THAT WE DID FOR 2025, UH, TO FEBRUARY.
I FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT SAYING THAT MARCH.
UM, HOW'S EVERYONE FEELING ABOUT CONTINUING OUR RETREAT AND MARCH, UH, KEEPING THAT SCHEDULE GOING? ARE WE GOOD WITH THAT QUESTION? PLEASE? I BELIEVE SOME OF US, OUR TERMS END IN APRIL, SO WE MIGHT WANNA KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR THE RETREAT.
YOU MIGHT WANT THE NEW INDIVIDUALS THERE.
I ALSO WANNA NOTE, JUST BECAUSE OF OTHER, THE BUDGET CYCLES CHANGED, I THINK THIS YEAR IT WAS A WEIRD TIME BECAUSE MARCH IS LIKE RIGHT WHERE THE DEADLINE IS, BUT I THINK IT'S CHANGED NOW.
SO THAT'S NO LONGER AN ISSUE IF IT'S IN MARCH, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS HAD YOUR WORKING RETREAT IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, NOT MARCH.
[01:05:01]
WE HAD OUR FIRST RETREAT IN MARCH.THE FIRST YEAR OUR WORKING RETREAT.
DECEMBER 1ST YEAR AND THEN DECEMBER.
AND THEN WITH THE BUDGET CYCLE, IT'S NOT THIS COMING YEAR, IT'S THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO PLAN AROUND OUR MEETING TIMES.
SO THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH MARCH, MARCH 'CAUSE THEN YOU CAN ONBOARD FOLKS ONE, TWO MONTHS, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK THE BUDGET WAS THE ONLY WEIRD THING ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR, BUT IF THAT'S NO LONGER AN ISSUE, THEN THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH MARCH, IN MY OPINION.
AND THEN CONSIDERING, UH, WITH, WE HAVE THREE COMMISSIONERS ROLLING OFF APRIL, 2026.
UM, AND MY STRATEGY MIND COMMISSIONER K*M, I WANT US TO CREATE THE STRATEGY AND THEN AS WE ROLL OFF, THERE'S A GAME PLAN FOR THOSE THAT ARE, UH, RE WE CAN NEVER BE REPLACED, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, NEW FACES COMING TO THIS COMMISSION.
UH, SO YEAH, I, I THINK IF WE, IF WE SPEND SOME TIME THIS YEAR, AT THE END IN DECEMBER, DO ANOTHER WORKING RETREAT AND WE DO MAYBE A STATUS UPDATE IN MARCH, UH, SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ONBOARDED, UH, IN MAY AND GET THAT ACTIVATED.
THAT GIVES US A COHESIVE TIME, UM, TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE OUR PROCESS AND PLANNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2026.
ANY, ANY EDITS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? I THINK WE KEEP JULY FOR NOW.
UM, I WILL SAY IT, THE REASON THAT IT WAS DECIDED TO SKIP IT IS 'CAUSE IT'S DURING THE SUMMER AND SUMMER VACATION.
UM, JULY 4TH DOES LAND ON A SATURDAY NEXT YEAR.
SO IT IS MOST LIKELY THAT IT'S GONNA BE AN OBSERVED HOLIDAY ON THAT FRIDAY.
SO LESS LIKELY THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE HERE.
IS THIS A VOTING PROCESS? YES.
DO WE NEED TO VOTE OFF JULY 1ST? MM-HMM
WELL THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THAT DONE.
UM, I THINK IT'LL BE EASIER IF YOU GATHER WHAT CHANGES YOU WANNA MAKE FIRST SO THAT YOU CAN, AND THEN BRING THIS BACK NEXT MONTH.
UM, I WANT TO GET THIS DONE, UM, DONE JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD THIS IN THE PAST MM-HMM
WITH LOCKING IN DATES MM-HMM
SO I'M JUST JUMPING THE GUN ON THIS.
UM, SO ANY CHANGES IN ADDITION TO CHANGING THE DATE OR CANCELING, UM, JULY 1ST OR DECEMBER DATES OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT? UM, LET'S WORK THAT OUT RIGHT NOW FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON IT RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
UH, I AM PUTTING A MOTION TO THE FLOOR FOR A VOTE TO REMOVE OUR JULY, 2026 MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE HAPPENING ON JULY 1ST, 2026.
ALL OF THE, UH, MOTION IS MY MOTION.
UH, DOES ANYONE WANT TO AGREE WITH THIS MOTION? I WILL BRING THE MOTION SECOND IT FIRST.
AND ANYONE TO SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.
ANY QUESTIONS TO THIS MOTION? NO QUESTIONS TO THIS MOTION.
UH, EVERYONE IN FAVOR FOR REMOVING THE JULY 1ST, 2026 MEETING OFF OF THE SCHEDULE? RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE.
WE ARE CONFIRMED TO REMOVE OUR JULY 1ST, 2026 MEETING OFF OF OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT LOOKS GOOD BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE, UM, LAPSED, WE DECIDED TO POSTPONE IT TO THE SECOND WEEK, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING, SO, MM-HMM
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHANGE IT TO THE NINTH? LET'S SEE.
UH, SO YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED YOUR CALENDARS.
IT'S ABOUT A WEEK AFTER, UH, THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
UM, I AM, I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO KEEP IT, KEEP IT AS THE SECOND.
[7. Discuss and approve community-based organization needs assessment proposal.]
A PERFECT AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET TO OUR FINAL ITEM, UH, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION OR DISCUSS AND APPROVE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION NEEDS[01:10:01]
ASSESSMENT PROPOSAL.UH, JUST THIS WAS SENT OUT FROM, TO, FROM TWO OF YOU ALL FROM DANNY.
UM, AFTER THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TODAY FROM JUANITA, FROM DIRECTOR STIRRUP.
ONE WAY THAT I THINK THAT WE CAN ACTIVATE OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT RESOURCES AND SPACES THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS, UM, IS GETTING SOMETHING STRUCTURED SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE US QUICK RESPONSES.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER, UH, EARLY ON WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE TAX ABATEMENT, UH, FUNDING AND HOW IS IT BEING SPENT AND WHERE IS IT GOING AND WHAT ARE THE NEEDS STILL OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING VERY BRIEF.
I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK AND INSIGHT ON THIS.
UH, WE CAN DISCUSS IT, BUT ALSO, IF WE ARE READY TO SEND THIS OUT, THE GOAL IS TO SHARE THIS WITH OUR COMMUNITY BASED PARTNERS TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM.
IT'S, THE IDEA IS THAT IT'S SHORT, IT'S SWEET, BUT IT GIVES US, AS COMMISSIONERS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ACTUAL VOICES WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK ON A CONSISTENT BASIS THAT DO NOT MEET WITH US AND DO NOT, UH, ENGAGE WITH US.
UM, SO THINKING OF THOSE AS THE CITY COUNTY CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTS MADE FROM THESE FUNDING CUTS THE FASTEST WAY TO HEAR THEM IS SURVEYS, QUICK QUESTIONNAIRES, UH, AND GET SOME INFORMATION BACK.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO ACTIVATE THE COMMUNITY.
SO ANY, ANY FEEDBACK, IDEAS ON GETTING THESE NOT ONLY TO OUR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, BUT ALSO OUT TO THE EX OFFICIOS FOR A QUICK UPDATE FROM THEM EVERY MONTH SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A PRESENTATION.
I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO COMMISSIONERS FOR FEEDBACK, PLEASE.
I WILL SAY THAT, UH, ONE BOY, CENTRAL TEXAS, WHICH IS A COALITION OF NONPROFIT, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS SOME GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS SERVING ON THE TEAM OF REVIEWERS FOR THE COMMUNITY WISE SURVEY THAT IS GOING TO GO OUT.
UM, AND I KNOW IT, IT LEADS TO ANOTHER PRESENTATION, BUT I DI I DIDN'T WANT THIS BODY TO THINK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CREATE A TOOL, UM, TO, TO SEND OUT TO NONPROFITS, UM, OR OTHER PARTNERS.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASES.
IF THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO INFORM WHO IS SURVEYED, UM, I COULD BRING THAT FEEDBACK BACK TO, UM, THE FOLKS AT ONE VOICE.
AND JUST FOR CLARITY, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS, THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMPLETING THESE SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENTS, THERE IS A COMPANY CALLED ONE VOICE THAT IS DOING THAT EXACT THING AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR DATA WITH THIS COMMISSION.
UM, SO ONE VOICE IS THE, THE COLLABORATIVE GROUP.
ALL OF THE NONPROFITS ARE A MEMBER OF THAT.
AND YES, THE PLAN IS TO SHARE BECAUSE IN THE SAME WAY WE'RE TRYING TO ARTICULATE WHAT THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE, THAT THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF, OF SHARING THE INFORMATION.
SO THEY WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME AND SPEAK TO THIS BODY ABOUT WHAT THEY FOUND.
UM, I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, DID AN INITIAL SURVEY AND THOSE RESULTS ARE PUBLIC AND I BELIEVE THERE'S A REPORT THAT I CAN ASK DANNY TO, TO SEND TO THIS GROUP AS WELL.
AND WOULD THERE BE, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN ASK THEM TO COME AND PRESENT ON, BUT ONE OF THE PIECES ABOUT THIS, I'M CALLING IT A ONE PAGER, IS THAT WE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE SUPPORT NEEDED FROM THE COMMISSION.
UH, INSTEAD OF ONLY HAVING A PRESENTATION, ONE OF THE EXPECTATIONS IS TO ALSO HAVE SOME SORT OF ASK OR WAY THAT THE COMMISSION CAN BE ACTIVATED TO SUPPORT WHATEVER IS HAPPENING.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO, UH, ONE VOICE TO BE ENGAGED WITH OR IS THAT, UM, TAKING AWAY FROM THE MAIN GOAL? I, I, I THINK THAT CAN BE BROUGHT TO, TO ONE VOICE.
AGAIN, I, I THINK THEY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
THEY DON'T WANNA JUST COLLECT DATA AND PRESENT IT TO PEOPLE THAT I'M SURE THERE, I'M SURE THERE'RE GONNA BE SOME ASKS AND THEY'LL WANT SOME ACTION TO
THAT WAS, THAT'S THE, THAT'S REALLY THE HONEST GOAL OF THIS IS THAT, UM, WE, I THINK WE HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE COMMISSION, UM, AND WE'RE NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.
UH, AND SO KNOWING, THINKING OF, OF TEXAS HARM REDUCTION AGENCY, UM, WE, THEY WERE OUR PILOT SO TO SPEAK, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SAY, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED FROM US?
[01:15:01]
UH, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU AS A COMMISSION? UM, AND SINCE I HAVE YOU DIRECTOR, THE EX OFFICIO ONE PAGER, WHICH IS FOUR QUESTIONS, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT, UM, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE IN LIEU OF FINDING A SLIDE DECK TO SEND OUT TO US THAT WOULD GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING AND WHAT'S GOING ON? I THINK SO.SO THEN WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE PUT ON THE BIKE RACK, THE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION ONE PAGER, UH, AS ONE VOICE IS, IS SUPPORTING THAT INITIATIVE.
AND THEN WE ARE NOW STILL DISCUSSING AND APPROVING THE EX OFFICIOS ONE PAGER.
I FEEL LIKE I SAID THAT CORRECTLY.
UH, AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, THE FIVE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THERE IS THE NAME OF THE EX OFFICIO, UH, THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS. SO SUPER HIGH LEVEL, MAYBE IT'S EVEN A MISSION STATEMENT, ONE SENTENCE, UH, QUICK FUNDING UPDATES, HIGH LEVEL WHERE THINGS ARE AT, WHERE YOU THINK THEY MIGHT GO.
UH, AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY CURRENT CAMPAIGNS HAPPENING, UM, THINGS LIKE ONE VOICE WOULD BE AWESOME TO KNOW.
JUST THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.
UM, AND THEN WHAT IS NEEDED FROM THE EX OFFICIOS FROM THIS COMMISSION.
UM, YOU ALL ARE DOING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW WE CAN BE ACTIVATED TO EITHER SUPPORT THAT, UH, BE MORE READILY AVAILABLE TO BE ACTIVATED, UM, GUIDANCE EVEN, UH, ON HOW WE TAKE NEXT STEPS.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, COMMISSIONERS, THAT IS WHAT IS ON THAT ONE PAGER.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? IDEAS ON THAT FEEDBACK ON THAT ONE PAGER? OKAY.
UH, THIS IS A MOTION TO VOTE, CORRECT? WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS.
UH, I AM PUTTING A MOTION FORWARD TO HAVE OUR EX OFFICIOS ONE PAGER APPROVED FOR US TO CIRCULATE TO OUR EX OFFICIOS.
UH, DO I HAVE ANYONE TO FOLLOW THIS MOTION OR AGREE WITH THIS MOTION OBJECT? YES.
CAN YOU CLARIFY? UM, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT MONTHLY, LIKE THE TIME PERIOD MONTHLY UPDATES FOR THE COMMISSION.
UH, I AM RECOMMENDING A, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EX OFFICIOS ONE PAGER, WHICH WILL BE A MONTHLY UPDATE FOR US COMMISSIONERS TO BE INFORMED AND HAVE DISCUSSION ITEMS. DO I HAVE ANYONE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THIS MOTION? I'LL SECOND IT.
I FIRST THIS MOTION
ANY QUESTIONS TO THE MOTION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND OR SAY, AYE, UNANIMOUS VOTE OF APPROVAL.
WE HAVE APPROVED, UH, OUR NEXT STEPS OF HOW TO ENGAGE OUR EX OFFICIOS WITH THIS ONE PAGER PROCESS.
I'LL WORK WITH DANNY TO GET THAT OUT, UH, TO OUR EX OFFICIOS AND HAVE THAT READY FOR YOU ALL FOR NEXT MONTH IN SEPTEMBER.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, WE HAVE DISCUSSED WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER.UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT GETTING, UM, OUR IMMUNIZATIONS PRESENTATION FOR OCTOBER.
UM, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT SHOULD GO? EITHER THEY CAN GO FOR SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OR HOPEFULLY NOT SEPTEMBER IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT PRESSING.
IF ANYTHING COMES UP IN THE, UH, MEANTIME, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU CAN CIRCULATE THAT TO A SECOND COMMISSIONER, HAVE THEM, UH, AGREE WITH YOUR NEW AGENDA ITEM
[01:20:01]
AND THEN SHARE THAT OVER TO DANNY AND WE WILL GET THAT SCHEDULED.AND ON THE AGENDA AT THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN OUR MEETING AT 3 55.