September 24, 2024
By Dr. Pat Lee
Central Health President & CEO
Dr. Patrick Lee speaking at Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 17.
I am pleased to announce that the Travis County Commissioners Court has approved the Central Health fiscal year 2025 budget, marking another significant step in our ongoing commitment to advancing health equity in Travis County. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Commissioners Court, our Board of Managers, our partners, our dedicated staff, and the entire community.
Thank you for entrusting us with the vital mission of providing access to health care for those who need it most. Your confidence in Central Health empowers us to continue this important work, build trust within our community, and strive toward a healthier, more equitable future for all.
$888.7 million to expand care across Travis County
The $888.7 million budget supports a $58.2 million increase in healthcare delivery and includes the following significant investments:
- Expanding specialty care: Increasing our budget by $30.8 million to provide 30,000 annual specialty care visits—a sixfold increase over FY 2024—at the Rosewood-Zaragosa, Capital Plaza, and East Austin clinics.
- Supporting mental health: Increasing the budget by $5.1 million for specialty behavioral health contracts, including more outpatient and psychiatric emergency services, substance use treatment, diversion services, and medication-assisted therapy (this includes a $4.5 million increase, bringing the total funding for Integral Care to $20.6 million); and $2.9 million for direct Central Health mental health services, including additional psychiatry, therapy, and counseling.
- Enhancing post-hospital care: Expanding teams in skilled nursing facilities and setting up new contracts with these facilities with a goal to provide 1,440 bed days directly operated by Central Health and 3,000 contracted bed days – a 30% increase over last year’s target.
- Strengthening care coordination and enrollment: Expanding our patient navigation efforts with a $3.6 million increase and 21 new employees; and bolstering eligibility and enrollment services with a $2.6 million increase for more on-site and virtual services.
Background: The Healthcare Equity Plan
In 2022, Central Health created a seven-year Healthcare Equity Plan in response to a 2018 third-party performance review that found gaps in the local safety-net healthcare system. Many of these gaps have been around for generations. This plan resulted from an 18-month process that was driven by data and informed and shaped by our community. Through this process we identified specific gaps in primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, dental care, hospital-based care, and post-acute care for low-income Travis County residents. Now entering its second year, the plan aims to close these gaps and ensure equitable healthcare access.
Long-standing challenges
At Central Health, we are confronting one of the most pressing challenges facing our community today – the stark disparities in health outcomes that disproportionately affect our Black and Brown neighbors. In Travis County, people living east of I-35 have an estimated life expectancy that is 10-20 years shorter than those living west of I-35, highlighting deep, systemic inequities. These disparities are not just statistics; they represent real lives lost to preventable causes, costing our community $1.1 billion annually. The status quo is simply unacceptable, and Central Health is committed to changing it.
Our solution: building a comprehensive system
Central Health is taking bold action to close healthcare gaps by developing a system specifically designed to meet the full spectrum of each patient’s needs—physical, emotional, social, mental, and spiritual. Rooted in trust and whole-person care, our approach treats the entire person, not just specific illnesses or conditions, and emphasizes integration and collaboration across our system and with community partners. We are committed to reaching more people and addressing the social conditions that impact our patients’ health to achieve true health equity.
From left to right: Rob Borja, Director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Paul Emmerson, Government Relations Manager, Kim Johnson, Budget Director
Yesenia Ramos, Community Engagement Supervisor, Perla Cavazos, Deputy Administrator, Ted Burton, Chief Communications Officer, Monica Crowley, Chief Strategy & Planning Officer, Senior Counsel, Nora Comstock, Community Health Champion and community advocate, Nicki Riley, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Pat Lee, President & CEO, Jeff Knodel, Chief Financial Officer, Juan Garza, Special Advisor for Development and Community Affairs, and Iván Dávila, Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications
A story of hope: Kevin’s journey to recovery
One key initiative under our Healthcare Equity Plan is the transitions of care program, which plays a critical role in bridging gaps in health care for our most vulnerable patients at greatest risk. For instance, our transitions of care team recently supported Kevin Gant, a longtime Austinite and musician who found himself homeless and in urgent need of medical care. Kevin was admitted to a hospital, where our team immediately coordinated his care, addressing both his medical and social needs. Over several months, Kevin transitioned from being wheelchair-bound to walking independently, and he was connected to Veterans Affairs benefits he never knew he was eligible for, such as health care and housing support.
While we know that many people experiencing homelessness continue to struggle with access to care, Kevin’s story shows how our team can make a meaningful difference for some by providing targeted, compassionate care during critical times. Our work isn’t perfect, but every step forward represents another step toward achieving health equity for those most in need.
Our impact by the numbers
In FY 2023, more than 50,000 Travis County residents with low income received health coverage through the Central Health Medical Access Program (MAP), and more than 76,000 residents received coverage through MAP Basic. The Central Health system, which includes CommUnityCare Health Centers and Sendero Health Plans, served more than 155,000 people — a 2% year-over-year increase. Additionally, Central Health expanded its provider network by 12%, adding 19 new providers, including those specializing in opioid treatment, primary care, and specialty services.
Our vision for success: FY 2025 and beyond
By the end of FY 2025, we aim to achieve several key milestones, including a six-fold increase in specialty care visits, establishing a dedicated respite facility where people experiencing homelessness can rest and recover safely after leaving the hospital, versus returning to the streets from the hospital, and improving how we coordinate care for patients, reducing hospital readmissions.
Finally, I want to personally thank Central Health’s incredible team, whose diligence and hard work have resulted in a budget that will provide essential health care for many who would otherwise go without these services. It’s an honor to work alongside such a dedicated team of tireless individuals who work to make our community healthier every day.
Dr. Patrick Lee and Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez
Partner with us
The Central Health mission is clear: by caring for those who need it most, we improve the health of our community. But we cannot do it alone. We need your support, whether you are a taxpayer, a healthcare provider, or a community advocate. Together, we can close the gaps, build trust, and ensure everyone in Travis County has access to the care they deserve. Join us in making this vision a reality.