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Tag Archives: Travis County Central 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Commissioners question health care district contingency fund, postpone budget vote

The Travis County Commissioners Court took no action on the county health care district’s proposed budget and tax increase Tuesday after repeatedly questioning the wisdom of the district’s $379 million contingency fund. The controversial fund grew rapidly in recent years…

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Central Health approves budget with a Hail Mary provision to halt layoffs at Integral Care

Travis County’s public hospital district, Central Health, voted Wednesday to approve its Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which includes a last-minute line item giving $7 million in emergency funding to Integral Care. Central Health’s budget still needs final approval from Travis…

Integral Care, Austin's largest mental health care provider, approves 48 layoffs in next budget

Integral Care, the mental health authority for Austin-Travis County, voted Thursday to approve a budget that eliminates nearly 10 percent of its positions. Along with the 48 individuals who were identified for layoffs, 67 vacant positions were also cut. Employees…

Erwin Center demolition marks latest change in ever-shifting health care district

Demolition of the Frank Erwin Center arena on the University of Texas campus is expected to begin next month, following approval last week from UT leaders to move ahead with the $25 million teardown of the longtime home for both…

Central Health, Ascension Seton trade barbs

The lawsuits between Ascension Texas, formerly known as the Seton Healthcare Family, and Travis County’s Central Health continue with little prospect of progress in the near future. Seton and Central Health have been at loggerheads since at least 2020, and…

Sobering center may seek expanded role

The Austin-Travis County Sobering Center, currently in its fifth year of operations, has served more than 8,000 people, according to Jana Ortega, chair of the center’s board of directors. Ortega and Executive Director Laura Elmore addressed City Council at Tuesday’s…

County greenlights long-awaited performance audit of Central Health

On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court greenlit a long-awaited independent performance audit with auditing firm Mazars for $854,200. The audit will examine how Central Health has used taxpayer money, with a close eye on the controversial, taxpayer-funded allocation of…

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